Food labels provide you with enough

information to make an informed choice

when you buy food. Labels list information
including:
 *a description of the food ingredients

 *nutritional information

 *best before or use-by dates

 *storage and preparation directions

 *warnings about ingredients known to

cause allergic reactions.
All countries have requirements regarding information
that is printed on food packaging labels. Usually a label
has to convey the following:
 Name of the product, the manufacturer’s name and
address, net weight, serving size, list of ingredients
and nutrition information per serving.
 In the United States, the Food and Drug
Administration requires the following data to be
clearly stated on a packaged food label:
 *Name of the product

 *The manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and

address
 *Ingredients (listed according to amount, from
highest to lowest)
 *The weight of the product.
 *Number of servings per product, and serving
size
 *Calories
 *Total fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein,
carbohydrates)
 *Vitamins and minerals (vitamin D, potassium,
iron and calcium)
 *Any artificial flavor or preservative added
 *“Best before” date indication
 The list of ingredients has to include
any allergy-causing food. Eight most
common food allergens are: peanuts,
crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat,
soy, fish, eggs and milk, and their
presence in a food product has to be
made known.
 Your label also needs to include a
barcode.
 FDA and USDA: The Main Labeling
Regulatory Bodies in the US
The FDA regulates labeling for most
packaged food products, but meat, poultry
and some other products containing meat
are regulated by the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Those products need
to include additional information, such as:

 *Inspection legend
 *Signature line
 *Safe handling instructions
The Food and Drug Administration
also oversees the use of specific
claims regarding some other, mostly
health, information. Claims such as
“100% organic,” “fat free”, “low
calorie” etc. have to follow standard
definitions by the FDA, USDA or meet
strict criteria of regulatory bodies that
issue labels with certain claims.
For example, if you want to label your product with
information about organic ingredients, you have to
follow strict guidelines by the US Department of
Agriculture. If you want to show consumers that your
product is “low calorie”, one serving cannot contain
more than 40 calories. There are countless rules for
proper labeling. For a complete guide on food label
info requirements, it is best to check the FDA and
USDA websites.

It’s very important to label your product right. It is the

key to avoiding legal issues and creating a trusting
bond with your customers.
 How to label your food packaging
products and the legal requirements that
you have to follow as a food business.
Labeling is regulated to protect
consumers who should have the correct
information to make confident and
informed food choices based on diet,
allergies, personal taste or cost.
On a food label there are some
mandatory labeling requirements for all
food labels.
 name of the food
 list of ingredients
 ingredients or processing aids causing
allergies or intolerances that are stated in
the 14 Allergens
 quantity of certain ingredients or categories
of ingredients
 net quantity of the food
 date of minimum durability or the ‘use by’ date
 special storage conditions and/or
conditions of use
 name or business name and address of
the food business operator
 country of origin or place of provenance
 instructions for use where it would be
difficult to make appropriate use of the food
in the absence of such instructions
 the alcohol strength by volume for
beverages containing more than 1.2 % of
alcohol, by volume
 nutritional declaration
Food labeling: Loose foods/product
Loose (also called non-pre-packed)
foods are any foods sold loose. These
can include:

 meat or cheese at a deli counter

 unpackaged bread
 vegetables sold at a market
 pick and mix sweets (including
individually wrapped sweets)
Information you must give when you
sell loose foods you must tell the
customer:

 the name of the food

 if the food contains allergens

 the quantitative ingredients

declaration (QUID), on products
containing meat.
 Serving size:
The serving size is required to
appear on a nutrition fact panel and
standardized to make it easier to
compare similar foods. They are
provided in familiar units, such as
cups of pieces and then followed by
a metric amount such as grams.
 Calories and calories from fat:
Calories and calories from fat are
required to be listed on the nutrition
fact panel. Calories, as most of you
know, measure how much energy you
get from a serving of food. The
General Guide to Calories provides a
general reference for calories when
you look a nutrition fact panel and is
based on a 2, 000-calorie diet (which
is not for every individual, only a
general guideline).
 Limit These Nutrients (as the FDA
describes them):
The nutrients listed here are
generally the ones Americans eat in
adequate amounts or too much.
Eating too much fat, saturated fat,
trans fat and the like may increase
risks of chronic diseases. This is the
reason FDA identifies them as the
“limit these nutrients” area.
 Get enough of these:
Most Americans, as determined
by the FDA, do not get enough
dietary fiber, Vitamin A, C, calcium,
and iron in their diets. FDA
requires these nutrients to be
displayed on the nutrition fact
panel and any other additional
vitamins or nutrients are optional.
 Understanding The Footnote at the
Bottom:
The statement “%DV are based on a
2,000 calorie diet” must be on all food
labels. However, the remaining information
in the full footnote may not be on all
packing label but when it does appear it
will always be the same. It does not
display product information but rather
recommended dietary advice for all
Americans.
 The percent Daily Value (%DV):
As noted before, the daily value is
based on a 2,000_calorie diet. The %DV
helps you determine if a serving of food
is high or low in nutrients; even if you do
not consume 2,000 calories a day, you
can still get a general idea. Generally ,
FDA says that 5%DV or less is a low
measurement of a nutrient and 20%DV
or more is a high measurement of a
nutrient.
 As a food producer, you are legally
required to appropriately label all your
product. failing to adhere to this can
lead to server consequence. If
authorities deem you noncompliant the
first step they'll take is give an
improvement notice, which will detail
what you are doing wrong which rules
you have broken, the step you must
take to comply and by when.
 You can continue production after
you receive an improvement notice
but you must take all outlined step
to bring your business into
compliance within the specified
timeframe. If you choose to ignore
an improvement notice and are still
noncompliant after the specified
date, you will be committing an
offence and may face prosecution.
 The name of the food,
this must be true
representation of your
products and must not
be false or misleading.
A substance that can cause an allergic reaction.
Common allergens include ragweed pollen, animal
dander, and mold.
Date of Minimum Durability” or “Best before Date”
or “Best Quality Before Date” means the date
which signifies the end of the period, under any
stated storage conditions, during which the
product will remain fully marketable and will retain
any specific qualities for which implied or express
claims have been made.
QUID stands for Quantitative Ingredient
Declaration. In certain circumstances it is
necessary to state on the label the quantity, in
percentage terms, of an ingredient or category of
ingredients used in the manufacture or preparation
of a foodstuff. The percentage quantity should be
in or next to the name of the food or be in the list of
ingredients. It applies to all foods, including
beverages, with more than one ingredient unless
especially exempt. It also applies to those products
exempt from ingredients listing. For these
products the ingredient quantity will need to be
given close to the name of the product.
When does it apply?
 It is necessary to state the quantity, as a
percentage, on the label where the ingredient or
category of ingredient is:
 included in the name of the food e.g. ‘ham and
mushroom pizza’ - the ham and mushroom need to
be quantified. The ingredients list might therefore
appear as follows:
Ingredients: Wheat flour, ham (10%), mushrooms
(6%), tomatoes, onions, garlic, yeast
 usually associated with the name of the food
e.g. for ‘chilli con carne’ the minced beef needs to
be quantified. This could appear as:
Ingredients: Tomatoes, Kidney beans, Minced beef
(30%), onions, celery, garlic, pepper, salt
When does QUID not apply?
 Ingredients or categories of ingredients
need not be quantified where:
 a solid foodstuff is presented in a liquid
medium e.g. kidney beans in salt water. In
such cases the drained net weight and the
total net weight must be given so the
quantity of kidney beans present can be
easily calculated existing legislation requires
the quantity of the ingredient or category of
ingredient in question to be given e.g. the
fruit content of fruit nectar must be declared
under the legislation relating to fruit juices
 Example
 To calculate the % QUID for minced beef in a chilli con carne, first add
up the ingredients at the mixing bowl stage

Ingredients at mixing bowl stage:

Minced beef 300g
Kidney beans 200g
Tomatoes 500g
Onion 50g
Celery 20g
Garlic 20g
Spices 5g
Black pepper 3g
Salt 2g

Total weight 1100g

Now determine the amount of weight lost during cooking

Total wt at mixing bowl (1100g) - Total wt after cooking (1000g) = 100g

moisture lost through cooking

% QUID = wt of mince beef (300g)/total weight of finished product

(1000g) x 100 = 30%
 Food ingredients have been used for
many years to preserve, flavor,
blend, thicken and color have
played an important role in reducing
serious nutritional deficiencies
among consumers. These
ingredients also help ensure the
availability of flavorful, nutritious,
safe, convenient, colorful and
affordable foods that meet consumer
expectations year-round.
 Food and color additives are strictly
studied, regulated and monitored.
Federal regulations require evidence
that each substance is safe at its
intended level of use before it may
be added to foods. Furthermore, all
additives are subject to ongoing
safety review as scientific
understanding and methods of
testing continue to improve.
Consumers should feel safe about
the foods they eat.