Are your food products healthy? Did you know when using the term “healthy” on a product it is required that the food meet criteria set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)? The FDA has defined several terms, such as healthy, that you can use to characterize the level of nutrients in a food.  Below is a simplified guide on the use of nutrient content claims.

•  Free   Food containing no consequential amount of one or more of these components: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars or calories.
• Light   Food containing one-third fewer calories, half the fat, or half the sodium of the traditional version of the food.
• Low   Food low in a specific nutrient: low-fat, 3 g or less per reference amount; low-saturated fat, 1 g or less per reference amount; low-sodium, 140 mg or less per reference amount; very low in sodium, 35 mg or less per reference amount; low in cholesterol, 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per reference amount; and low in calories, 40 calories or less per reference amount.
• Reduced   A nutritionally altered food containing at least 25 percent fewer calories or 25 percent less of a specific nutrient than the regular product.
• Less   Food containing at least 25 percent fewer calories or 25 percent less of a specific nutrient than foods in a similar category.
• More   A reference amount of food that contains at least 10 percent more of the Daily Value of a certain nutrient than a food with which it is compared.
• Good Source   A reference amount of food that contains 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value of a certain nutrient than a food with which it is compared.
• High   A reference amount of food that contains 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of a certain nutrient than a food with which it is compared.
• Healthy   Low in fat and saturated fat, with limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium and provides 10 percent or more of the Daily Value of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein or fiber per reference amount.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) defines two panels on a food package. They are the Principal Display Panel (PDP) and the Information Panel (IP).  

The Principal Display Panel is the portion of the package label that is most likely to be seen by the consumer at the time of purchase. It is the panel that is so obviously displayed at the grocery store. It is the front of a box (like most cereals) or jar (like most peanut butters), but it can also be the top of a box (like cream cheese) or the top of a carton (like sour cream or eggs). The Information Panel is immediately to the right of the PDP as displayed to the consumer.

There are six items that should be located on these two panels. In a blog (dated March 27, 2007) we discussed the “Six Big Labeling Requirements” of food manufacturers. To review, they are:  

1. Statement of Identity
2. Net Quantity of Contents
3. Nutrition Labeling (exemptions may apply to this requirement)
4. Ingredient Statement
5. Allergen Declaration
6. Name and Place of Business of Manufacturer, Packer or Distributor

All six items can be located on the PDP, although it is unlikely because of space constraints or visual appeal. The first two items, the statement of identity and the net quantity of contents, must be located on the PDP.  Typically the nutrition label, ingredient statement, allergen declaration and name and place of business are found on the IP, although it is not required. If there is insufficient space, they can be put on any other panel or space on the packaging. Whichever panel you decide to place the nutrition label, ingredient statement and allergen declaration, they must appear together with no interrupting material. 

For more information or assistance with your food labels, call the experts at On The Menu, LLC.

Consumers enjoy a variety pack of food—not only for the choice it affords them, but the ability to sample different flavors without the investment of a larger quantity of a single food item. Do you have food products that are multi-flavored that would benefit from being packaged together?   Perhaps you should consider combining multiple varieties of food items into one package. Common foods that are packaged together include multi-flavored snack bars, ice cream novelties, single-serving breakfast cereals, popcorn, etc. Rather than having a separate Nutrition Facts label for each food product contained in a package, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows a modified format called an aggregate label. This not only conserves on labeling space but provides a clear and concise format of displaying nutrient information to your consumer.  Although an aggregate label looks different, it follows the same FDA labeling rules. For example an aggregate label must provide nutrition information for each assorted food product contained in the package. Below is an example of an aggregate Nutrition Facts label showcasing nutrition information on three different granolas. Please note: a separate ingredient and allergen statement is required for each food item.

For help with an aggregate or other format Nutrition Facts food label, please contact the experts at On The Menu, LLC.

In 2004 the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) was enacted to address the labeling of foods that contain certain food allergens. As of January 1, 2006 all packaged foods regulated under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must comply with FALCPA’s food allergen labeling requirements. Note: foods regulated under the USDA are not required to follow the FALCPA’s requirements. FALCPA defines eight major foods or food groups that account for 90 percent of all food allergies. Allergen identification is required if a food product contains an ingredient or protein derived from any of the following eight allergens.

• milk
• egg
• wheat
• peanuts
• soybeans
• tree nuts
• fish
•  Crustacean shellfish

Three of the eight allergens are food groups (tree nuts, fish and Crustacean shellfish) and require further specification. Tree nuts must be declared by the type of nut, such as almonds, walnuts or pecans. Fish and Crustacean shellfish must declare the species. For example, fish might be declared as salmon, halibut or cod and Crustacean shellfish might be declared as shrimp, lobster or crab. When declaring an allergen it is acceptable to list the allergen in either singular or plural form (i.e. “walnut” and “walnuts” are both correct). Soybeans can be identified as “soybean,” “soy” or “soya.” The eight major food allergens can be identified in either the ingredient statement or in a “Contains” statement. Either statement must clearly identify all allergens present in the food product. Allergens must be identified on allergen-containing ingredients where the food source is not apparent. For example, on ingredients like “modified food starch” (if it comes from a wheat source) or “whey” the allergens to be declared are “wheat” and “milk.” 

Below are two examples of how to properly identify allergens.

Ingredients: Peanut butter (peanuts, salt), oats, sugar, soybean oil, whey (milk). 

Ingredients: Peanut butter (peanuts, salt), oats, sugar, soybean oil, whey.

Contains: Peanuts, soybeans and milk.

For more information on allergen identification please contact On The Menu, LLC – nutrition consultants to the food industry.

We know your product is made with love, but what else? An ingredient statement is important information to consumers and required of manufacturers by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ingredient statements can be simple or complex depending on your food product, but the following are a few basic rules that apply.  All ingredients used to fabricate a food must be listed in the ingredient statement by its common or usual name, unless it is covered by an exemption. If your product is a single ingredient food, such as sugar, you are not required to have an ingredient statement. Additionally, if there are incidental additives that are not functional in the finished food, such as a processing aid, you are not required to list those. Ingredients present in amounts of two percent or less may be listed at the end of the ingredient statement followed by a qualifying statement “contains # percent or less of…”  Ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight. Don’t be fooled by household measurements—a cup of sugar (200g) weighs more than a cup of flour (120g). If preparation of your food requires the same ingredient added more than once, it’s possible to list it just once in your statement providing you know the combined weight of the ingredient.  If you have a multi-component ingredient, such as chocolate, you can do a parenthetical listing of all ingredients within the ingredient. Chocolate would be listed in your ingredient statement where it falls by weight and then the ingredients used in the chocolate would be listed in parentheses. It might look like this: “…chocolate (cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin).” You can also incorporate each ingredient of the multi-component ingredients into the overall ingredient statement, providing you know the individual weights.  Special rules apply for listing spices, flavorings and colorings. In many cases they can be listed as “spices,” “flavorings” and “colorings,” but it’s best to refer to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21 for detailed regulations on your particular ingredient in question. In fact, when in doubt on how to list your ingredients it is best to refer to the CFR or ask a professional, such as On The Menu, LLC to assist you. Listing your ingredients properly is just another way of showing your customers that your product is made with love!

Not all businesses are required to label their food products. However, even if you are exempt, you may still want to consider nutrition labeling for your product. Here are five compelling reasons why:

1. Nutrition analysis gives you insight into the nutrition profile of your product. This is helpful for understanding your food product and its nutrient makeup.

2. Your customers want you to label your foods. The majority of consumers read labels and have come to expect this information on food products. In fact, it is said that at least 80 percent of women read food labels. The information is useful for their purchasing decisions and consumption choices.

3. Providing Nutrition Facts labels on your products allows you to make nutrient content claims if your food qualifies. You cannot make a claim without a label.

4. Nutrition labeling can give you a competitive advantage. It gives you a professional edge and allows you to be a player in the marketplace.

5. Nutrition labeling gives you the ability to market your food product. Nutrition “sells” to today’s consumer.  

Nutrition analysis and labeling is well worth the investment. Don’t delay—get your food label today!