Nutrition Labeling - Format

Nutrition Labeling - Format

All nutrients must be stated as a percentage of their "Daily Value"
(the daily nutrient intake level recommended by public health
authorities) to show how much of a day's ideal total of a
particular nutrient a consumer is getting. For example, if a
serving of soup contains half the amount of sodium that is
recommended for consumers daily, the food label will show the
"Daily Value" of sodium in that soup as 50%. These percentages are
based on a daily intake of 2,000 calories.

Serving Sizes

Serving sizes will be standardized and will reflect more closely
the amount of food usually eaten at one time. The serving size for
similar products from different manufacturers will be
comparable.

Nutrient Content Descriptors

Food manufacturers will be required to use standardized
definitions when making claims concerning the nutrient contents of
foods, for example,"light," "low-fat," "free," "reduced
calories" and "high fiber."

Health Claims

Product claims about the relationship between a nutrient or food
and the risk of a disease will be limited to specific types of
claims in seven areas. For example, if a product makes a health
claim related to the link between calcium and osteoporosis, the
product must contain at least 200 milligrams of calcium and must be
a form of calcium that can be absorbed easily by the body. The
claims must be stated so that the consumer can understand the
relationship between the nutrient and the disease.

For more information, contact:

Food and Drug Administration
Consumer Affairs and Information
Department of Health and Human Services
5600 Fishers Lane
Room 16-85 (HFE-88)
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-3170

Department of Agriculture
Human Nutrition Information Service
Federal Building
Rooms 360 and 364
6505 Belcrest Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
(301) 436-8617

Introducing '%Daily Value'
The Key to Healthy Eating

There's a new nutrition tool called "%Daily Value" that allows you
to easily determine whether a food contributes a lot or a little of
a particular nutrient. A high percentage means the food contains
a lot of a nutrient. A low percentage means it contains a little.
You don't have to worry about doing
calculations.

Let's say you're trying to eat less fat. You come across two
different brands of frozen mixed vegetables in sauce. One of the
packages lists 5% as the %Daily Value for total fat. The other
package gives 15%. Which should you choose? The one with 5%
because five is a significantly lower number than 15.

The following is an example of the information found in a
Nutrition Facts label:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/2 cup (114g)
Servings Per Container 4

Amount per Serving
Calories 90 Calories from Fat 30

%Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 660mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 5g
Protein 5g

Vitamin A 4% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 15% Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.



TIP: If the %Daily Value for a nutrient is 5% or less, that means
the food is low in that nutrient.