Food for Profit
Facts for Starting Your Food Business
Food labels allow consumers to
compare one product to anoth-
er. They give instructions for safe
handling and storage, as well as
identify the firm responsible for
the product. Labels list ingredi-
ents to help consumers choose
foods with ingredients they want
or need to avoid. Food label
regulations are enforced by the
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and dictate the type of
information that must be on the
label and where the label can
be placed on the package. Exact
requirements for your package
size and type can be confusing.
Before you have labels printed,
share a draft version with a Penn-
sylvania Department of Agricul-
ture sanitarian or the FDA small
business representative in your
region to make sure you have
met all labeling requirements.
Name of Any Brand
Food CEREAL
Net
Quantity of
Contents net wt. 10 3/4 oz. (305g)
Food Labels
Four Basic Label Requirements and metric units—for instance, 1 lb.
All food packages must display the 8 oz. (680 g) or 1 gal. (3.79 L).
following information:
Information Panel (IP)
• Name of the food
The IP is the label panel immediate-
• Net quantity of contents ly to the right of the PDP as you face
the product. This area is reserved for
• Name and address of
the list of ingredients, the name and
the food business
address of the food business, and
• List of ingredients nutritional information.
A single label may be used to
Name and Location of the
display all required information.
Food Business
However, it is common to have two
The name, address, city, state, and
distinct label areas on the container,
the principal display panel and the
zip code of the business must be
printed so that consumers are able
information panel.
to contact the manufacturer for any
reason. If the business is not the
Principle Display Panel (PDP)
actual manufacturer, a qualifying
The PDP is the portion of the pack-
age label that is most likely to be
phrase must be present that states
the firm’s relation to the product,
seen by the consumer at the time of
such as “manufactured for” or “dis-
purchase. It is usually on the front
tributed by.” A street address is not
of the package and shows the name
required if it is in a current city or
of the product and the net contents
of the container. Approved type
telephone directory.
style and minimum character size
List of Ingredients
depend on the area of the PDP.
Packaged foods that consist of two
Name of the Food
or more ingredients must be labeled
so that ingredients are displayed in
A statement of identity for the prod-
descending order (i.e., the ingredi-
uct must be clearly displayed by its
ent that weighs the most is listed
common or usual name (e.g. salsa,
first, and the ingredient that weighs
apple sauce, vanilla wafers). It must
the least is listed last); for example,
be in bold type and in a size that
“Ingredients: pinto beans, water,
is larger and more prominent than
List of and salt.” In most cases, only com-
other label information.
Ingredients mon or usual names that are famil-
Net Quantity of Contents iar to consumers can be used. For in-
The net quantity statement gives the stance, use the term “sugar” instead
actual weight, volume, or number of its scientific name “sucrose.” If
Name and
of pieces of food in the package and you are selling unpackaged items in
Address of
Food Business should be located on the bottom 30 bulk to stores for resale, you must
percent of the PDP. Weights and vol- supply the retailer with a list of
umes must be displayed in both U.S. ingredients.
College of Agricultural Sciences
Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension
 New regulations developed to tested in a commercial laboratory, Product Dates
help consumers avoid food allergic purchase nutrition-labeling software Many packaged foods are labeled to
reactions require that foods con- to calculate nutrient values based indicate the last date that the food
taining milk, eggs, fish, crustacean on USDA reference values, or hire a should be sold for optimum quality
shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, consultant to do the whole job. or safety. “Sell by” or “best before”
or soy must declare the presence of dating is not required by regulations
the ingredient in plain language on Nutrient and Health Claims for most packaged foods. In Penn-
the ingredient list. Federal regulations limit the kind of sylvania, only fluid dairy products,
claims you can make about the nu- raw eggs, infant formula, and
Other Label Information tritional content of your product or reduced-oxygen packaged meats
any health benefits for consumers. require dating. Typically, wholesale
Nutritional Labeling If you make a nutrient claim, such customers may require you to date
Large food manufacturers are as “high in vitamin C” or “low-fat,” your product so they can better
required by federal regulations to you must declare the actual amount manage their inventory. Check with
display nutritional information of that nutrient on the Nutrition your potential customers to deter-
on the label. However, small busi- Facts panel and your product must mine if they require product dating.
nesses with fewer than 100 full-time meet minimum and/or maximum
equivalent employees and that nutrient content levels in order to UPC Bar Coding (UPC).
produce fewer than 100,000 units of qualify for the claims. Claims that Although not a regulatory require-
product per recipe per year are ex- your product may have a beneficial ment, most large grocery store
empt from nutrition labeling, unless effect on a disease or health-related chains require UPC labels. So, if you
a health or nutrient claim is made. condition are limited to those ap- plan to have your product sold at
Exempt companies may still include proved by government scientific these outlets, you should look into
nutritional information on the label experts. For example, you may having UPC labels made. However,
as long as the Nutrition Facts panel claim that because your product is if your sales will be strictly lim-
format is used. Nutrient information low fat, high fiber, or high in fruit ited to small specialty food stores,
must be presented on a per-serving and vegetable content, it can reduce farmers’ markets, your own retail
basis (the typical weight or number risks from cancer or heart disease. store, or over the Internet, the extra
of pieces eaten) and must include You should weigh the benefits of expense may not be worth the cost.
calories, total fat, cholesterol, so- making a health or nutrient claim
dium, carbohydrates, protein, vita- against the cost of creating a Nutri- For more information, contact
mins A and C, calcium, and iron. To ent Facts panel before you proceed your regional PDA office or
determine the amount of nutrients with this option. the cooperative extension office
in your product, have your product
in your county or visit www.
PaFoodVentures.psu.edu.

recipe for
I c h anged the
“W h e n t only had
w p ro duct, I no
a n e I had
the label,
to change new
jars so the
to change ld fit.”
label wou
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—Pa. food

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