Download Food Labeling

5/14/2010
Food Labeling
Food Labeling and Nutrition
• Mandatory for nearly all processed foods in
May 1994
• Provide consistent nutrition information
– Nutrient contents of foods
– How nutrients affect health
• Health claims limited and set by the FDA
• Serving sizes determined by FDA
• Descriptive terms standardized
– “low fat” means serving contains 3g fat or less
Current label
‘Nutrition Facts’
• Items, with amounts per serving, that must be
included:
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Total calories
Calories from fat
Total fat
Saturated fat
Trans fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Total Carbohydrates
- Dietary fiber
- Sugars
- Protein
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
Nutrition Facts Label
• Daily values
– Give consumer the percentage per serving of each
nutritional item listed
– Based on a daily diet of 2000 calories
• Total fat 3 g – represents 5% of amount fat someone on a
2000 cal diet should have
• Shows maximum or minimum amount of a nutrient that
should eaten
Nutrition Facts Label
• Processor can voluntarily add more
information
• Standardized serving size based on amount of
the specific food commonly eaten
– Given in both English and metric measurements
Health Claims
• Link a nutrient to a health-related condition
• Help consumers choose foods that are the
most healthful
• Avoid deception by false advertisements on
label
– Minimum and maximum based on 2000 and 2500 calorie diet
– Total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate,
fiber
• Lists calories per gram for fats, carbohydrates, proteins
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5/14/2010
Allowed Health Claims
• Calcium and osteoporosis
• Sodium and hypertension
• Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and
high in fruits, vegetables and grains containing
fiber and coronary heart disease
• Diets low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables
containing dietary fiver and the antioxidants,
vitamins A and C and cancer
• Folic acid and neural tube defects
• Soy and reduced risk of cardiac heart disease
Standardized Descriptors
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Low calorie - 40 calories or less/serving
Calorie free – less than 5 calories/serving
Low fat – no more than 3 g fat/serving
Fat free – less than 0.5 g fat/serving
Low saturated fat – 1g or less sat. fat/serving
Low cholesterol – 20 mg or less cholesterol/serving
Cholesterol free – less than 2 mg cholesterol/serving
No added sugar – no sweeteners or sugar added at any
time during prep and packaging
• Low sodium – less than 140 mg sodium/serving
• Very low sodium – less than 35 mg sodium/serving
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