What’s On A Food Label?

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a Federal Law which

required packaged foods to display certain nutrition

information on their label. The information is regulated by the

FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

By 1994, most packaged foods sold in grocery stores carried the new labels with the required information. The labels continue to be updated.

Required on a Packaged Food Label:

~Product Name~Net Contents~Manufacturer’s Name~Contact Information~Ingredient List

The Nutrition Facts PanelRequirements:~ Serving Size~ Servings per container~ Calories~ Calories from fat~ Nutrient Amounts~ % of Daily Values provided

Nutrition Facts Panel

Label RequirementsServing sizeServings per container CaloriesCalories from fatNutrient amountsPercent of Daily Values

Sample Label

The list of ingredientsFood must be listed in order

according to the amount contained in the product.

The first ingredient must be the largest amount and it is listed in order down to the smallest amount.

% Daily ValuesThe Percent Daily Value on the

Nutrition Facts label is a guide to the nutrients in one serving of food. For example, if the label lists 20 percent for calcium, it means that one serving provides 20 percent of the calcium you need each day.

Which foods are not required to follow the label law? ~ Foods in very small packages, such as

chewing gum ~ Foods sold in bulk, such as candy ~ medical formulas ~Foods produced by small businesses ~ Foods with very little nutritive value,

such as bottled water, spices, coffee or tea

% Daily ValuesAre generally based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet. Sometimes it might be based on a 2,400 calorie/day diet. Always check the label. Even if you need a different amount of calories/day, the % Daily Values will give you a good idea of the amount of each nutrient that the food will provide for you.