Nutella maker tells FDA, 'We're not just for dessert anymore'

U.S. consumers are putting more of their Nutella on toast and less on ice cream, and now the federal government might change its view of the smearable treat.

The Food and Drug Administration is looking into reducing Nutella's serving size to one tablespoon from two because Americans are now using the chocolate-hazelnut spread on bread in the morning, instead of mostly dolloping it on their desserts. That would effectively cut in half the fat and calories consumers see on the label.

Ferrero, the closely held maker of Nutella, has marketed the spread as a breakfast replacement for butter and syrup on pancakes, or to scoop on bread and fruit. The Italian company petitioned the FDA in 2014 to change its serving size to one tablespoon, which would put it on par with honey, jam and jelly.

That led the agency Nov. 1 to seek information on flavored nut-butter spreads, their intended use and typical consumption amounts.

If the FDA agrees with Ferrero, then consumers could see half the amount of calories and fat, which currently stand at 200 and 11 grams, respectively.

The U.K., France and Australia, among other countries, use the one-tablespoon serving size, according to Ferrero.

The FDA is responsible for establishing "reference amounts customarily consumed," or RACC, for 139 food-product categories, including cookies, egg rolls, coffee, dry pasta, butter, canned fruits and tofu.

The RACC designation helps determine a serving size. In 1993, the FDA ruled that Nutella fell into the product category called "other dessert toppings."

The two-tablespoon serving size on the U.S. label might lead people to believe they should be using that amount on their toast or sandwich and confuse consumers when compared with other spreads that have a smaller serving size, Ferrero told the FDA.

"Because Nutella is used in the same manner as jams and jellies, uniformity in RACC values among Nutella, jams, and jellies would enable consumers to make informed nutritional comparisons of these similar products," Ferrero wrote in its petition.