1. Food Labeling
Melissa Dolan
Communication of Contemporary Issues
2/4/2016

2. How are labels made?
 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
 Responsible for ensuring proper labeling
 All food manufacturers must abide by
guidelines
 Specific rules and guidelines
 Frequently change

3. Food Labeling Requirements
 Placement of labels
 Accurate name
 Manufacturer
 Size requirements
 Geographic location of origin

4. Ingredient Lists
 Must be in descending order, by weight
 “incidental” amounts not required to be listed
 Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) not
required to be listed in U.S.

5. Nutrition Information
• Based on 2,000kcal per day diet
• Pay attention to servings
• Not the same for everyone
• Vitamins & Minerals: if 10% or more,
allowed to say ”good source”
• 20%or more, allowed to say ”excellent
source”

6. How to decide
 Look at serving size- are you going to eat
more than that?
 Look at total Calories per serving
 Limit Sat Fat, Trans Fat, Sodium
 Make sure it’s worth it to eat anything
beneficial besides cals? Fiber, Pro, Ca, Iron,
Vitamins , Minerals.
 Watch for “partially hydrogenated oil”0.5 g
doesn’t have to say, but if you eat more than
1 serving..trans fat
 Is 2,000kcals right for you?

7. Allergen Information
 The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer
Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA)
 Major food allergens: milk, egg, fish,
Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat,
peanuts, soybeans
 Major allergens=90% of food allergies
 All other allergens/potential allergens are not
required to be listed
 Raw produce exempt

8. Health Claims
• “Natural” - unregulated
• “Organic”- regulated, must be grown
and manufactured without using
pesticides, growth hormones,
antibiotics
• “Free-range”- given option to go
outside..
• “Gluten free”- may have never had
gluten to begin with
• http://fox6now.com/2015/09/28/find-
food-labels-confusing-pick-n-save-
dietitian-explains-what-labels-really-
mean/#ooid=1rMGJzdzqyp2N_2a7qkP
58WT7ULP-R1L

9. Outside the U.S.
• Ecuador
Mexico
United Kingdom
Ecuador
UK
• “Stoplight”
color-coding to more easily tell
which
are within recommended
range

10. References
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
FDA.gov
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRe
gulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm2006828.htm
• The Basics of the Nutrition Facts Panel
Reviewed by Sharon Denny, MS, RDN
Published December 10, 2015
http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-
labels/the-basics-of-the-nutrition-facts-panel
• American Heart Association
Understanding Food Nutrition Labels
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutritio
n/Understanding-Food-Nutrition-
Labels_UCM_300132_Article.jsp#.Vrl4r8cg214