FDA food labeling, explained

The Nutrition Facts label packs a lot into a small box. Here is how to read every line — serving size, calories, the % Daily Value, and the nutrients to get more or less of — using the FDA's own guidance.

Added sugars is one of the most useful lines on the modern label — and one of the most misunderstood. Here is what it counts, how it differs from total sugars, its Daily Value, and why honey and maple syrup get a special rule.

The % Daily Value on every food label is calculated against a fixed set of reference amounts: the FDA Daily Values. Here is the complete table for adults and children over 4, what each value means, and what the 2016 update changed.

'Gluten-free' is a voluntary claim, but one with a precise FDA definition behind it. Here is exactly what it means, the 20-ppm threshold, and why 'wheat-free' is not the same thing.

'Natural' and 'organic' sound similar but mean very different things on a label — one is barely defined, the other is tightly regulated. Here is what each actually tells you.

Trans fat is the one nutrient the label tells you to keep as low as possible — and the one where '0 g' can mislead. Here is how the rounding works, why there's no %DV, and how the FDA pulled artificial trans fat from the food supply.

Most people think food date labels are a federal safety rule. With one exception, they're not — they're voluntary, inconsistent, and mostly about quality, not safety. Here is what each phrase really means.

'Product of USA' on a pack of meat used to mean surprisingly little. A USDA rule that took effect in 2026 changed that — but it's voluntary, and it doesn't tell you the origin of every product. Here is what the label now means.

The FDA has proposed putting a small nutrition summary on the front of most food packages. It could change how you shop at a glance — but as of now it's a proposal, not a requirement. Here is what's on the table.

If you make and sell packaged food, the first question is simple: do you legally need a Nutrition Facts label? This guide walks through the FDA requirement, the two small-business exemptions, the claims that void them, and what you still have to put on the package either way.

One of the most misunderstood parts of a food label is the serving size. It is not a marketing decision — it is set by an FDA reference amount called the RACC. Here is how it works, and why getting it wrong is a common labeling violation.

U.S. law requires packaged food to clearly declare nine major allergens. Here is the full list — including sesame, the newest addition — how the law (FALCPA and the FASTER Act) works, and exactly how allergens must appear on a label.

'Low fat.' 'Good source of fiber.' 'May reduce the risk of heart disease.' Every nutrition-related claim on a food label is regulated, and using one without meeting the FDA's definition is a misbranding violation. Here is how the two main claim types work.

The Nutrition Facts panel gets the attention, but several other things are mandatory on a packaged food label. Here is how to get the statement of identity, net quantity, and ingredient list right — the parts even a Nutrition-Facts-exempt business still has to include.

Dietary supplements don't use the Nutrition Facts panel — they use Supplement Facts, under different FDA rules. Here is when each applies, how the panels differ, and the claim rules unique to supplements.

Some packages show two columns of nutrition — per serving and per container. That isn't a design choice; it's an FDA rule tied to how much of the RACC the package holds. Here is exactly when dual-column labeling kicks in.

If you've noticed calorie counts on chain-restaurant menus, that's a federal rule — not a courtesy. Here is who has to post them, what else they must disclose, and how vending machines fit in.

In 2024 the FDA rewrote what 'healthy' means on a food label for the first time since 1994. The new rule shifts from single-nutrient math to food groups — and it changes which foods can wear the word.

Before you design a single label, you need to know which federal agency regulates your product — because the FDA and USDA don't just have different rules, they have different processes. Most packaged foods answer to the FDA. But add enough meat or poultry and your product crosses into USDA territory, where labels must be approved before you can sell.

The label term 'bioengineered' replaced the old patchwork of state GMO-labeling laws. Since January 1, 2022, the USDA's National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard has required food companies to disclose when a product contains bioengineered ingredients. Here's who it applies to, how to disclose, and who's exempt.

If you want to sell cookies, jam, or granola made in your own kitchen, cottage food laws are what make it legal. They're a state-by-state framework — not an FDA program — so the details vary, but the shape is remarkably consistent. Here's what qualifies, what your label must say, and where the limits are.

The ingredient list looks simple — just list what's in the product — but it's one of the most-cited areas in FDA warning letters. The rules under 21 CFR 101.4 govern the order, the names, and a handful of details that trip up new brands. Here's how to get it right.

The tall vertical Nutrition Facts panel doesn't fit on a stick of gum or a spice jar. FDA's rules under 21 CFR 101.9 give small packages alternative formats — and the very smallest can skip the panel altogether. Here's how package size decides your format.

FDA labeling isn't only about which pieces of information you include — it's about where each one goes. The rules split your package into two regulated zones: the principal display panel and the information panel. Put the right element in the wrong place and it's a violation. Here's the map.

Ever wonder why your beer has no Nutrition Facts panel but a hard seltzer might? Alcohol sits under a different regulator than food. Most alcoholic drinks answer to the TTB, not the FDA — but an important slice falls under FDA rules and does need a Nutrition Facts label. Here's the split, and the change that may be coming.