Food Package Labels
By Jennifer Turley and Joan ThompsonBy Jennifer Turley and Joan Thompson© © 20132013 Cengage Cengage
Module 2.1
Presentation Overview1. Nutrition Labeling and Education Act2. Anatomy of a Food Label3. Daily Values: DRVs & RDIs4. Assessing fat content in foods 5. Nutrient density in foods6. Understanding Ingredients, Terms, and
Health Claims on food labels
1990: Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. 1994: >300,000 packaged foods relabeled. Mandatory
compliance was required by food manufacturers. Package Size: Packages smaller than 12 square inches
in surface area require a phone number. Serving Size: The FDA established set serving sizes for
>100 food categories making product comparison easier. 2003: Legislation passed for trans fatty acids to appear
on a separate line under SFAs in the nutrition facts panel starting January 1, 2006.
2004: The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act of 2004 passed. Manufacturers must plainly list milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans ingredients starting January 1, 2006.
Other legislation is described in table 2.1
Legislation Overview
Anatomy of Food Package Label
Daily Reference Values Daily Reference Values (DRV) based on a 2000 Calorie diet used exclusively on Food Package
labels. applicable to adults and children 4
years or older
See Appendix
Daily Reference Values- Based on 2000 Calorie diet
Fat (29% of Calories or 65g)
Saturated Fat (9% of Calories or 20g)
Cholesterol (300mg)
Carbohydrate (60% of Calories or 300g)
Fiber (12.5 gm/1000 Calories or 25g)
Protein (12% of Calories or 50g high quality, 65g low quality)
Sodium (Na; 2400mg)
Potassium (K; 3500mg)
High-fat: >35% of Calories come from fat
Moderately-fat: 25-35% of Calories come from fat
Low-fat: <25% of Calories come from fat
Classifying Foods by Fat Content
Calculating % Calories from fat
(Calories from fat ÷ total Calories) X 100
= Percent Calories from Fat
• Vitamin A 0%• Calcium 0%
• Vitamin C 0%• Iron 4%
Nutrition FactsServing size 1/3 cup in shells (41 g)Servings per container about 5
Amount per serving
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 100
% Daily value
Total Fat 12 g Saturated Fat 1.5 g Trans Fatty Acids 0 gCholesterol 0 mgSodium 380 mgTotal Carbohydrate 5 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 gProtein 6 g
19%9%--0%16%2%6%--
Sample Food Label
• Vitamin A 0%• Calcium 0%
• Vitamin C 0%• Iron 4%
Nutrition FactsServing size 1/3 cup in shells (41 g)Servings per container about 5
Amount per serving
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 100
% Daily value
Total Fat 12 g Saturated Fat 1.5 g Trans Fatty Acids 0 gCholesterol 0 mgSodium 380 mgTotal Carbohydrate 5 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 gProtein 6 g
19%9%--0%16%2%6%--
Sample Food Label 1
100 X 100150
= 66.67% Calories from fat
Calories from fat X 100 total Calories
Calculating % Fat by Weight
(Grams from fat ÷ total grams per serving) X 100
= Percent fat by weight
• Vitamin A 0%• Calcium 0%
• Vitamin C 0%• Iron 10%
Nutrition FactsServing size 1 patty (112 g)Servings per Container 12
Amount per serving
Calories 240 Calories from Fat 150
% Daily value
Total Fat 17 g Saturated Fat 7 g Trans Fatty Acids 0 gCholesterol 75 mgSodium 75 mgTotal Carbohydrate 0 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Sugars 0 gProtein 22 g
26%34%--24%3%0%0%--
Sample Food Label 2
17 X 100112
= 15.17% fat by weight
Grams from fat X 100total g/ serving
Sample Food Label 3
8g * 9 Cal/g = 72 Cal from fat
How many calories from fat?
8g * 4 Cal/g = 36 Cal from proteinHow many calories from protein?
11g * 4 Cal/g = 44 Cal from carbsHow many calories from carbs?
Sample Food Label 372 Cal from fat; 36 Cal from protein; 44 Cal from carbs
How many total calories?
% Calories from fat?
72+36+44 = 152 Calories
72 X 100152
= ~47% Calories from fat
Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs) Are set for vitamins & minerals essential in
human nutrition
Use the highest RDA value from the 1968 RDA table for men or women
Are expressed as percentages
Are mandatory on every food package label for Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron
Other nutrients may appear on the label
See Appendix for values
The RDI’s
g (gram), mg (milligram), µg (microgram)
Nutrient Amount Units Nutrient Amount UnitsThiaminRiboflavinNiacinBiotinPantothenic AcidVitamin B6
FolateVitamin B12
Vitamin CVitamin AVitamin DVitamin E Vitamin K
1.5 1.7 20 300 10 2 400 6 60 5,000 400 30 80
mgmgmgµgmgmgµgµgmgIU1
IU1
IU1
µg
CalciumIronZincIodineCopperChromiumSeleniumMolybdenumManganeseChlorideMagnesiumPhosphorus
1,000 18 15 150 2 120 70 75 2 3,400 400 1,000
mgmgmgµgmgµgµgµgmgmgmgmg
1IU: International Units
Nutrient Density Nutrient Dense Foods: A food is nutrient
dense if it provides at least 20% of the RDI for a nutrient per serving
Nutrient Density: The amount of nutrient in reference to the Calories or serving of food
What does 25% Vitamin C really mean?
How many mg of Vit C are in 1 serving of food?
The RDI for Vit C is 60 mg. (see appendix)
(60 mg x 25%) ÷ 100 = 15 mg Vit C per serving.
Nutrient Density:Cereal Example
Ingredients List
INGREDIENTS: Whole oats, milled corn, enriched wheat flour, dextrose, maltose, high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, coconut oil, walnuts, salt, natural flavors, sodium ascorbate, vitamin A palmitate, and iron.
Terms Free: Negligible amounts of fat,
cholesterol, sodium, sugar, or Calories. <0.5 grams of TFAs per serving
Reduced or Less: 25% less of a nutrient compared to the original product
Light or Lite: 1/3 fewer Calories; 1/2 the fat or sodium; color or texture (compared to the original product)
Terms Low:
Sodium (≤ 140 mg per serving) Cholesterol (≤ 20 mg per serving) Calorie (≤ 40 Calories per serving) Fat (≤ 3 g fat per 3.5 ounce serving)
Lean: ≤ 10 g fat; ≤ 4.5 g SFA & TFA; ≤ 95 mg cholesterol per 3.5 ounce serving
Extra lean: ≤ 5 g fat; ≤ 2 g SFA & TFA; ≤ 95 mg cholesterol per 3.5 ounce serving
3.5 ounces = 100 grams
Health Claims A statement linking the nutrition profile
of the food to a reduced risk of a particular disease
To make a claim that a food supplies a good source of a nutrient, usually the food must provide at least 20% of the RDI or DRV must be a nutrient dense food
Health Claims Careful phrasing is required
For example:if a product provides a good source of
calcium [at least 20% of the RDI for calcium (200 mg)] per serving, then the health claim “this product may prevent osteoporosis” can be legally used
The company must also mention that other factors like exercise may prevent osteoporosis
FDA Approved Health Claims Calcium & Osteoporosis
Low Fat & Cancer
SFA and TFA, cholesterol, and heart disease
Fiber containing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
and cancer
Fiber containing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and heart disease
Sodium and high blood pressure
FDA Approved Health Claims Fruits and vegetables (vitamin C and
beta-carotene) and cancer
Sugar, alcohols and dental cavities
Folic Acid and Neural Tube Defects
Soy and heart disease
Potassium and blood pressure
Reduce disease risk Heart Disease: Low fat (SFA & TFA), cholesterol, a
good source of fiber especially from oats and barley, soy, and plant sterols
Blood Pressure & Stroke: Food must be low in sodium and a good source of potassium
Cancer: Food must be low fat, and a good source of fiber, fruits and/or vegetables. Meat must be extra lean
Osteoporosis: Food must be high in calcium
Neural Tube Defects: Food must provide 40 µg per serving (or more) of folic acid
Dental Cavities/Tooth Decay: Food must be sugar free and contain reduced amounts of sugar alcohols
Summary Food Package labels use the nutrition facts panel
that contains DRV’s & RDI’s
Determining whether a food is high fat is done best by calculating percent of Calories from fat
A food is nutrient dense if ≥20% of the RDI for a nutrient is provided per serving
Ingredients are listed in descending order, by weight or volume
There are specific definitions for terms used on food labels
There are specific FDA approved health claims for food package labels
References for this presentation are the same as those for this topic found in module 2 of the textbook