The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the Nutrition Facts label on all packaged food and drinks in the United States. 

These changes come partially thanks to updated scientific information, new research on nutrition, and public input. The goal of the latest nutrition label was to fuel healthier food choices made with easy-to-understand nutritional information and a redesigned label. 

Let’s discuss the new nutrition label, what it means for your food company, and how LabelCalc can help.

Critical Changes to the New Nutrition Facts Label

It’s important to note that the primary motivation driving the updates made on the Nutrition Label is strategic in taking action to reduce preventable death and disease from poor nutrition. 

It is the responsibility of the food companies in the U.S.  to be completely transparent about their product’s ingredients and nutritional value. Additionally, it’s up to the FDA to hold companies responsible who fail to remain compliant. 

Further additions to nutrition labels may motivate companies to improve the recipes and products they sell in-store and online. In the end, increasing the availability of healthier foods could improve both eating patterns and the health and wellness of Americans.

Here are the main updates and changes to the Nutrition Label. 

At the top of the label, the Servings font size has been increased and bolded. The Calories text is also larger. On the main section of the label, the Daily Values percentages have been updated due to updated nutrition research and information. 

In the Sugar section within Carbohydrates, Added Sugars has been added under Total Sugars. In the bottom section of the label, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and the new addition, Potassium, are required to be listed, along with the actual amount of each item. Vitamins A and C are no longer required. 

Aside from the technical changes, the recognizable design remains. The changes are slight enough, with a few modified lines of text, heavier bolded font, and larger type sizes. These subtle changes make it easy to assimilate the new label onto shelves and gain consumer support and trust.

Read more about the specific changes regarding serving sizes and labeling requirements here. 

How a Nutrition Facts Label Maker Can Help

Consumers may not feel affected by these changes immediately. However, for the thousands of food manufacturers in the United States, their products and labels need to be updated with the new requirements. 

Luckily, LabelCalc can help. The information used to analyze your products for label production is directly sourced from the USDA food database. This basically ensures that you receive the most accurate analysis possible, resulting in labels that comply with FDA standards every time.

Obviously, we know that changes and updates made to Nutrition Labels may cause you to stress. You might worry about product recalls and other issues if your products are no longer FDA-compliant. The concern is the same whether a large corporation or a small at-home business. 

Indeed, LabelCalc is now the preferred nutrition panel creator for first-time food producers, large multi-product national brands, school food programs, and more.

How LabelCalc Can Help Your Food Business 

With LabelCalc, you’ll have everything you need to make your food product ready for retail. We provide not only your nutrition facts panel — complete with allergen and ingredient statements. But we also provide a comprehensive nutrition analysis report, making you FDA-compliant in an instant. 

We’ll work with you to make the appropriate changes to your Nutrition Labels to ensure you remain compliant with the FDA. Customers can make a safe, informed choice, knowing they can trust your labeling process. Take nutrition back into your hands using LabelCalc’s easy-to-use nutritional software. Get more information here.