Clarification of Answer by
bethc-ga
on
06 Oct 2002 10:43 PDT
Hi inga,
Just some additional information on food labeling. The labeling of
food in the United States is regulated by the US Food and Drug
Administration. Generally, foods considered spices are exempt from the
regulations governing nutritional labeling, but if the supplier
chooses to include nutritional information, the label must comply with
the law. Here is an excerpt from the FDA Food Labeling Guide:
“Below are listed categories providing exemptions or special
provisions for nutrition labeling. A food package loses those
exemptions, which are asterisked, if a nutrition claim is made or
nutrition information is provided:”
“*Foods that provide no significant nutrition such as instant coffee
(plain, unsweetened) and most spices 21 CFR 101.9(j)(4)”
Source:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
A Food Labeling Guide
Chapter V--Nutrition Labeling
September, 1994 (Editorial revisions June, 1999)
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-5-1.html
The labeling regulations went into effect in 1994. From the U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services:
“It may not have the power of a Pulitzer prize-winning novel or the
luridness of a checkout counter tabloid, but the new food label still
promises to make for good reading.
“New regulations from FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture see to that. They ensure
that:
* nutrition information will appear in the labeling of almost all
foods
* labels will provide information on how the food fits into an
overall daily diet
* labels will include information on the amount per serving of
saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and other nutrients of
health concern to today's consumers
* terms used to describe a food's nutrient content--"light,"
"fat-free," and "low-calorie," for example--will meet government
definitions so that they mean the same for any product on which they
appear
* health claims about the relationship between a nutrient or food and
a disease that are supported by scientific evidence will be allowed
for the first time
* serving sizes:
- are more consistent across product lines to make comparison
shopping easier
- are expressed in common household and metric measures
- better reflect the amounts people really eat.”
“Nutrition Panel”
“A revised list of nutrients--selected because of their relationship
to current health concerns--will appear on the nutrition panel. Some
of the nutrients are carryovers from the previous label: calories,
total fat, total carbohydrate, protein, sodium, vitamins A and C,
calcium, and iron. The new ones are calories from fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sugars, and dietary fiber. No longer required are
thiamin, riboflavin and niacin because deficiencies of these vitamins
are no longer considered significant public health problems. However,
manufacturers may list these and other nutrients if they choose,
subject to certain conditions.
“Serving sizes specified on labels now will be more uniform across all
product lines so that consumers can more easily compare the
nutritional qualities of similar products. They also will be closer to
the amounts people actually eat.”
Source:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
FDA Consumer
May 1993
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdlabel2.html
As always, should you require any clarification of any of the above,
please do not hesitate to ask.
Beth
Search criteria:
US food labeling requirements
