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The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that many foods carry approved FDA labeling on the outside of the product packaging. This is mandated by the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (and amendments). But what does that labeling mean? This will answer some of your questions.

The labels are required on almost all prepared foods including cereals, breads and snacks. It also includes frozen and canned foods, drinks and dessert foods. There is currently no requirement to label fish or fresh produce such as vegetables and fruit. There are also separate labeling requirements for labeling vitamins and dietary supplements.

The labeling is there to inform the customer of a product’s contents in various categories. It’s in the form box-chart with five or six sections describing different aspects of the food found within. The chart is titled NUTRITION FACTS. Right beneath the title you’ll see a recommended serving size and how many servings of this size the package will render.

Based on the serving size recommended, details then follow listing the number of calories and the percentage of calories derived from fat. The next line tells the total amount of fat and breaks it down into saturated and unsaturated or ‘trans’ fats. These numbers are presented both in the form of grams (or mg) and in the percentages found in one single serving.

Below fat content you’ll see a measurement for the amounts of sodium and also cholesterol. Next comes total carbohydrates, separated into sugar and fiber. Then, underneath this is the amount of protein contained in one serving and percentages of the government’s RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for the vitamins and minerals present.

At the end, as a footnote, there is a listing of the ‘Percent Daily Values’ as they relate to a person on a restrictive diet of 2,000 or 2,500 calories per day. This takes into account sodium, dietary fiber, fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates. This gives a dieter help in determining what portion of his daily allowance of certain aspects are present in one serving of the particular food being labeled.

The Food and Drug Administration has made periodical changes to the FDA labeling system and studies and panels are ongoing to determine the best method. They’re looking for an easy and simple way to inform consumers of what’s really contained in a food product and it’s true nutritional value. There are challenges. Sometimes companies will purposely mislabel products to make them appear different than they actually are, which is big problem for the consumer looking for truth in advertising. The FDA is cracking down on this, too. Their job is unending.

There is a lot you should learn about FDA food labeling and cosmetic labeling. If you run a restaurant selling food, you should make sure all labeling on all products tell you everything you should learn about whats in the product.

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