Update on the Food Label
Provided by Barbara Brown,
Ph.D., R.D./L.D.
Food Specialist
Today you will:
• Review food label
basic components
• Study ways to use
food labels to make
better food choices
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
2
What must be included on a
food product label?
• Name of product
• Net contents
• Name & address of manufacturer,
packer or distributor
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
3
Ingredient list
• In descending order by weight
• Colorings must be listed separately
• Flavorings need not be listed
individually
• May be included as “flavorings,”
“natural flavors”
• Sources of protein must be
designated
• Sulfiting agents must be listed
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
4
Open Dating
• Date easy to identify & read
• Open for all to see
• Date beyond which quality may fall
below normal level
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
5
Types of open dating
• “sell by”: last day food should be sold
or used by the retailer—meat & dairy
• “expiration” or “use by”: last day food
should be eaten—baby foods
• “freshness”: foods with short shelf
life—bakery foods
• “pack”: day food was packaged
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
6
What about eggs?
• “EXP May 1”
• Last day store can sell as fresh
• If have Federal grademark (Grade
AA) date can’t be more than 30
days from pack date
• If buy before expiration eggs are
safe to use for 3-5 weeks
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
7
Dates not guide for safe
use of foods
• Tips:
• Buy before date
expires
• Follow handling
recommendations
on food
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
8
Refrigerate or freeze
• Perishables: take home
immediately &
refrigerate promptly
• Freeze if can't use in
time recommended
• Once frozen, date
doesn't matter
• Foods kept frozen
continuously are
safe indefinitely
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
9
Coded or closed dating
• Used for canned/packaged foods with
long shelf life
• Code not readable by consumer
• Provides info on date & place of
packing
• Useful in recalls
• Required on low-acid, canned foods
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
10
Universal Product Code (UPC)
• On almost all
products
• Specific for each
• Computer scanners
interpret code & for
inventory control &
product pricing
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
11
Religious symbols
• 2 symbols used on foods important for
Jewish faith
• K = Kosher—food complies with
Jewish dietary laws & processed
under supervision of rabbi
• U = food complies with Jewish
dietary laws & is authorized by
Union of Orthodox Jewish
Congregations of America
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
12
Religious symbols
• Parev
• Jewish foods
• Food contains
neither meat or
dairy ingredients
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
13
Religious symbols
• "Halal" or
"Zabiah Halal"
• Prepared by federally
inspected meat packing
plants
• Must be handled
according to Islamic
law & under Islamic
authority
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
14
Legal symbols
• R = trademark registered with US
Patent Office
• C = text & art content of label
protected under US copyright laws
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
15
Organic
• Food at least
95% organic
• Voluntary
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
16
Meat safety label
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
17
Inspection & Grading Symbols
Wholesomeness
2011
Quality
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
18
Nutrition information gives
• Nutrition information for many foods
• Information on amount/serving
• Nutrient reference values, (% Daily
Value) to see how food fits in overall
diet
• Uniform definitions of terms that
describe food's nutrient content
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
19
Nutrition information gives
• Claims about relationship between a
nutrient/food & a disease/healthrelated condition
• Standardized serving sizes
• Declares total % juice in juice drinks
• Voluntary nutrition info for many raw
foods
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
20
The Nutrition panel:
Nutrition Facts
• Required information
• Total calories
• Calories from fat
• Total fat
• Saturated fat
• Trans fat (2006)
• Cholesterol
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
21
Nutrition Facts:
Required information
• Sodium
• Total carbohydrate
• Dietary fiber
• Sugars
• Protein
• Vitamins A & C
• Calcium & iron
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
22
Trans fat
• Most result of hydrogenation
• Liquid oils made into solid
fats
• Shortening & hard
margarine
• Hydrogen added to
vegetable oil
• Increases shelf life & flavor
stability
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
23
Hydrogenation changes shape
Unsaturated fat
Trans Fat
H H
| |
-C = C-
H
|
-C = C|
H
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
24
Trans fat
• Increases low-density
lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol levels
• Raises risk of
coronary heart
disease
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
25
Using Trans fat information
• Combine grams
saturated fat &
trans fat & look
for lowest
combined amount
• Look for lowest
% Daily Value for
cholesterol
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
26
Making the best fat choice
Butter
Saturated Fat: 7g
+ Trans Fat: 0g
Combined Amt: 7g
Cholesterol: 10%
2011
Margarine, stick
Saturated Fat : 2g
+ Trans Fat : 3g
Combined Amt: 5g
Cholesterol: 0%
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
27
Making the best fat choice
Margarine, stick
2011
Saturated Fat: 2g
+ Trans Fat: 3g
Combined Amt: 5g
Cholesterol: 0%
Margarine, tub
Saturated Fat: 1g
+ Trans Fat: 0.5g
Combined Amt: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 0%
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
28
Nutrition Facts:
optional components
• Calories from
saturated fat
• Polyunsaturated
fat
• Monounsaturated
fat
• Potassium
• Soluble fiber
• Insoluble fiber
2011
• Sugar alcohol
• Other
carbohydrate
• % vitamin A as
beta-carotene
• Other essential
vitamins &
minerals
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
29
Nutrition labeling exemptions
• Food served for immediate
consumption
• Ready-to-eat food not for immediate
consumption but prepared primarily on
site
• Food shipped in bulk but not for sale
in that form to consumers
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
30
Nutrition labeling exemptions
• Medical foods
• Plain coffee, tea,
some spices, & other
foods with no
significant nutrition
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
31
Exemptions
• Food from small businesses
• Below 100 full-time equivalent
employees
• US sales below 100,000 units/year
• Gross sales below $500,000/year
• Gross food sales below
$50,000/year
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
32
Exemptions—game meats
• Information must be available at
point-of-purchase
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
33
Several formats available
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
34
Serving sizes
• More uniform than in past
• Amounts usually eaten at 1 time
• Given in both common household &
metric measures
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
35
Daily Values
• Made up of 2 sets of
dietary standards
• Daily Reference
Values (DRVs)
• Reference Daily
Intakes (RDIs)
• Only “Daily Value”
appears on label
2011
% Daily Value
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
36
Daily Reference Values (DRVs)
• Established for:
• Energy nutrients
• Fat
• Saturated fat
• Total carbohydrate (including
fiber)
• Protein
• Cholesterol, sodium & potassium
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
37
DRVs
• Energy nutrients DRVs based on
2,000 calories/day reference
• Fat—30% of calories
• Saturated fat—10% of calories
• Carbohydrate—60% of calories
• Protein—10% of calories
• Fiber—11.5g 1,000 calories
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
38
DRVs: fat, cholesterol, sodium
• Represent most considered desirable
• Total fat: less than 65g
• Saturated fat: less than 20g
• Cholesterol: less than 300mg
• Sodium: less than 2,400mg
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
39
Reference Daily Intake—RDIs
• Replaced term "U.S. RDA“
• Reference value for vitamins &
minerals
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
40
Using the Nutrition Facts
• Top part changes with food
• Has product-specific
information (serving size,
calories, & nutrient info.
• Bottom is footnote with
Daily Values for 2,000 &
2,500 calorie diets
• Found only on larger
packages
• Does not change
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
41
Serving size
• Standardized to ease comparison of
similar foods
• Given in household measures, then
metric amount
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
42
Quick Review:
Using the
Nutrition
Facts Label
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
43
Nutrient content claim: free
• No amount, only trivial or "physiologically
inconsequential" amount of 1 or more of:
• fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium,
sugars, calories
• "calorie-free" = less than 5/serving
• "sugar-free" & "fat-free" = less than
0.5g/serving
• Synonyms: "without," "no," "zero"
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
44
Nutrient content claim: low
• Can be used on foods that can be
eaten frequently without exceeding
dietary guidelines for one or more of:
• Fat, saturated fat, cholesterol,
sodium, and calories
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
45
Low: descriptors
•
•
•
•
•
low-fat: 3g or less/serving
low-saturated fat: 1g or less/serving
low-sodium: 140mg or less/serving
very low sodium: 35mg or less/serving
low-cholesterol: 20mg or less & 2g or
less of saturated fat/serving
• low-calorie: 40 calories or
less/serving
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
46
Nutrient content claim: low
• Synonyms:
• "little“
• "few“
• "low source of“
• "contains a small amount of"
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
47
Lean & extra lean
• Can describe fat content of meat,
poultry, seafood, & game meats
• Lean: less than 10g fat, 4.5g or
less saturated fat, & less than
95mg cholesterol/serving & per 100g
• Extra lean: less than 5g fat, less
than 2g saturated fat, & less than
95mg cholesterol/serving & per 100g
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
48
More nutrient content claims
• High: food contains 20% or more of
Daily Value for a particular
nutrient/serving
• Good source: food contains 10-19% of
Daily Value for a particular
nutrient/serving
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
49
Reduced
• Nutritionally altered food contains at
least 25% less of a nutrient or
calories than the regular food
• Claim can't be made if regular food
already meets requirement "low"
claim
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
50
Less
• Food, whether altered or not,
contains 25% less of a nutrient or
calories than the regular food
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
51
Meanings of Light
• 1/3 fewer calories or 1/2
fat of reference food
• Sodium content of lowcalorie, low-fat food
lowered 50%
• Can describe texture &/or
color
• Label must explain
intent
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
52
When label says “More”
• 1 serving contains a nutrient that is
at least 10% of Daily Value more than
in reference food
• Alternative spelling allowed as long as
alternatives are not misleading
• "hi" & "lo“
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
53
“Healthy”
• Must be low fat & saturated fat &
contain limited amounts of cholesterol
and sodium.
• 10% rule: at least 10% of vitamins A
or C, iron, calcium, protein, &/or
fiber
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
54
“Healthy” single-item foods
• Exempt from 10% rule: some raw,
canned & frozen produce & some
cereal-grain products
• No ingredients change nutrient
profile
• Enriched grain products conform to
standards of identity
• Sodium not over 360mg/serving
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
55
“Healthy” meal-type foods
• Must provide 10% of
2 or 3 of vitamins A
or C, iron, calcium,
protein, &/or fiber
• Sodium not over
480mg/serving
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
56
“Fresh”
• Defined when used to suggest food is
raw or unprocessed
• Can use only on raw food
• Never frozen or heated, &
contains no preservatives
• Irradiation at low levels allowed
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
57
“Fresh”
• Okay for foods quickly
frozen while still fresh—
blanching allowed
• "Fresh frozen," "frozen
fresh," & "freshly
frozen"
• “Fresh milk," "freshly
baked bread" not affected
by definition
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
58
Health claims
• Describe how food or
food component relates to
a disease or healthrelated condition
• Wording regulated by
FDA
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
59
Today you:
• Reviewed the basic
components of food
labels
• Studied ways to use
food labels to make
better food choices
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
60
2011
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
61