Just What Exactly Does FDA Labeling Mean For The Shopper?
Add a Comment 
cosmetic labeling, FDA, FDA labeling, food labeling, Legal April 6th, 2010 The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that many foods carry approved FDA labeling on the outside of the product packaging. This is mandated by the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (and amendments). But what does that labeling mean? This will answer some of your questions.
The labels are required on almost all prepared foods including cereals, breads and snacks. It also includes frozen and canned foods, drinks and dessert foods. There is currently no requirement to label fish or fresh produce such as vegetables and fruit. There are also separate labeling requirements for labeling vitamins and dietary supplements.
The labeling is there to inform the customer of a product’s contents in various categories. It’s in the form box-chart with five or six sections describing different aspects of the food found within. The chart is titled NUTRITION FACTS. Right beneath the title you’ll see a recommended serving size and how many servings of this size the package will render.
Based on the recommended serving size, total number of calories are then outlined, including how many of these calories come from fat. Next comes the listing for total fat, broken down into the two types – unsaturated and saturated. These numbers are shown as both weights (metric) and percentages compared to the total in each serving.
The next entries list how much cholesterol and how much sodium is present in one product serving. Then the total carbohydrate count is included, broken down into fiber and sugar. Last is the amount of protein found in this food, and percentages of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for certain vitamins and minerals.
Finally, as a footnote outside the box, is a listing of the percentages provided by this food for a person who is currently on a 2,000 calorie restricted diet. The listing includes fats, cholesterol, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and sodium. This is to be used by dieters who want to know exactly what percentage of their dietary allowance will be used up by eating this particular product.
The Food and Drug Administration has made periodical changes to the FDA labeling system and studies and panels are ongoing to determine the best method. They’re looking for an easy and simple way to inform consumers of what’s really contained in a food product and it’s true nutritional value. There are challenges. Sometimes companies will purposely mislabel products to make them appear different than they actually are, which is big problem for the consumer looking for truth in advertising. The FDA is cracking down on this, too. Their job is unending.
There is a lot you should know about FDA food labeling and cosmetic labeling. If you have a restaurant selling food, you should make sure all labeling on all products tell you everything you should know about whats in the product.
2. Right-Click then Copy
3. Paste the HTML code into your webpage
