January 6/Downers Grove, Ill./Business Wire -- Sara Lee North American Fresh Bakery is launching new labels to help consumers make better food choices. The easy-to-read call-out graphics with key nutrition information, Nutritional Spotlight, will appear on all of its bread, bun and bagel products beginning in January with its Soft & Smooth bread line. This new labeling provides consumers with essential nutrition facts to make fast, informed decisions about the Sara Lee bread, bun and bagel products they purchase for their families.

The Nutritional Spotlight banner complements the Nutrition Facts Label currently required on all food products providing consumers a quick snapshot of important dietary nutrients. The new Nutritional Labeling is part of Sara Lee's continued effort to "educate America on the health benefits of its fresh bakery products and alleviate confusion in the bread aisle."

"We know individuals want convenient, nutritious choices when shopping at their grocery stores," said Tim Zimmer, vice president, Sara Lee North American Fresh Bakery. "The Nutritional Spotlight helps individuals quickly identify Sara Lee products that contain the nutrients most important to them and their families."

The Nutritional Spotlight highlights: calories, total fat, sodium and sugars per serving on all products; percentage of daily recommended folic acid per serving on all Sara Lee white bread, bun and bagel products; percentage of daily recommended fiber per serving on all Sara Lee wheat and whole wheat bread, bun and bagel products; grams of whole grain recommended per serving on all Sara Lee white, wheat & whole wheat bread and bun products

Sara Lee also offers consumers information about the new labeling initiative on the company's branded site, www.thejoyofeating.com, including a feature to help individuals select the products that best meet their nutritional needs. For example, a growing family is able to search for a loaf of bread that contains whole grain or folic acid; for others looking to maintain their weight, they have the ability to compare calories across varieties.

"Choosing the right bread is a vital part of a healthy diet and an easy way to get essential nutrients needed to maintain a nutritious lifestyle," said Connie Diekman, RD and Nutrition Communications Consultant. "Reading nutrition labels and making informed decisions about the everyday food purchases a family makes will greatly impact their overall health."

From the January 19, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition