Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Process ControlRegulatoryPackagingFDA

U.S. FDA’s Nutrition Facts Chart Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

April 16, 2013

This year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the codification of the final rules that overhauled the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) nutrition labeling requirements for food in the United States. Passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) gave FDA authority to require specific nutritional information be declared on most food sold in the United States. FDA’s ubiquitous Nutrition Facts Chart was born and all manifestations of it written into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). NLEA also led to the codification of the FDA requirements for making nutrient content and health claims on food. These FDA’s rules forever changed the way food would be labeled and marketed in the United States.

FDA labeling rules are complex. An entire part of the CFR (Part 101) is dedicated to the required labeling elements, including the statement of identity, net quantity statement, ingredient declarations, format of the nutrition chart and the information found therein, manufacturer/distributor/packer declaration and requirements for claims. The nutrition facts chart itself is regulated in a tangled web of requirements that stipulate when simplified, tabular, linear, side-by-side formats can be used. Additional regulations govern when footnotes may be excluded, when certain nutrient values may be omitted, where the chart may be placed, and when the chart may be omitted altogether.

Additional requirements may be found in Compliance Policy Guides and Guidance Documents. Some claims used on food labeling lack legal definitions, or are subject to “proposed rules” that have been languishing in regulatory limbo for years (e.g., “gluten-free,” “non-GMO,” refrigeration statements). Navigating this regulatory landscape can present a challenge for food companies.

Food products whose labels do not comply with FDA regulations may be deemed misbranded and risk detention and outright refusal by the agency. FDA recently stated that labeling problems accounted for 68 percent of food recalls, including 34 percent of recalls due to undeclared major food allergens. FDA Detentions are expensive and disrupt a company’s supply chain, often resulting in a loss of customers and financial revenue. Class action lawsuits against food companies for misleading nutrition claims are also on the rise. Even large companies such as Heinz, PepsiCo and ConAgra have not been immune.

By Registrar Corp

>
Author(s): Coley Anderson

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Testing & Analysis
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Facilities
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Risk Assessment
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Corporate manager talking with factory employees

Turning Resistance into Opportunity: Motivating Change in the Food Industry

Image of baby being fed infant formula

HHS Budget Request Beats Familiar Drum

Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.

Staying Compliant With FSMA

Events

June 26, 2025

How to Design and Conduct Challenge Studies for Safer Products and Longer Shelf Life

Live: June 26, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn how to conduct challenge studies for microbial spoilage and pathogen growth, including the common challenges encountered, laboratory selection, and use of predictive models.

July 15, 2025

Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and EHEDG Guidance

Live: July 15, 2025 at 11:00 am EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn the importance of hygienic design to ensure food safety and sanitation effectiveness.

May 11, 2026

The Food Safety Summit

Stay informed on the latest food safety trends, innovations, emerging challenges, and expert analysis. Leave the Summit with actionable insights ready to drive measurable improvements in your organization. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from experts about contamination control, food safety culture, regulations, sanitation, supply chain traceability, and so much more.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Fortress Technology Celebrates 20th Anniversary

    See More
  • FDA Celebrates 10th Anniversary of FSMA

    See More
  • FSS news generic image

    FDA provides additional flexibility regarding nutrition and supplement facts labels

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • food safety.jpg

    Food Safety Contaminants and Risk Assessment

  • food-safety-making.jpg

    Food Safety: Making Foods Safe and Free From Pathogens

See More Products

Related Directories

  • Enviro Tech Chemical Services

    Enviro Tech (ET) – an Arxada company – is a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative bromine technologies and peroxyacetic acid formulations, delivers wide-ranging solutions that optimize operational efficiencies for keeping food and water safe and environments clean. ET partners with distributors to provide a complete line of EPA and FDA approved products for a variety of industries including industrial water treatment, meat and poultry processing, food & beverage, agriculture, animal health, wastewater treatment and more. ET holds 41 EPA registrations, 15 FDA Food Contact Notifications, and 14 U.S. patents.
  • Sevee & Maher Engineers Inc.

    Full range of regulatory compliance and sustainability consulting services for food contact/packaging in the food and beverage industry and supply chain, and consumer products industries worldwide. Solutions encompass regulatory compliance throughout the product life cycle, from raw materials to product development, manufacturing, supply chain chemical management, packaging, and post-market management.
  • Praesidio Consulting LLC

    Expert regulatory consulting based upon 25+ years FSIS experience. We specialize in HACCP and related food safety plans, facility design and sanitation program consultation, non-compliance management and appeals, enforcement action response, retention and recall management, and expert witness consultation for litigation cases.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing