Volume 13, Number
8 - August 2013
Greetings from Food Label News.
We hope this
finds you staying cool and enjoying some summer fun. Between
BBQs, you can read about how to steer clear of common
mistakes food labelers make. This month we also wrap up our
series on Nutrition Analysis with the final installment
about important resources. And, be sure to stay connected
(even on your summer vacation!) through the Food Label
Community on LinkedIn. Happy Summer!
|
Common Mistakes Food Labelers Make
Food label newbies and veterans alike can be guilty of the occasional
food label faux pas. In our role as food labeling experts,
we spot these snafus before they become serious issues,
attracting unwanted attention from FDA.
The good news is that accurate food labels inform consumers
and keep regulators happy. Here are some of the most notable:
|
Listing a multi-component ingredient as a single
ingredient
Bread crumbs and baking chocolate
are comprised of sub-ingredients, and each
ingredient in a food must be listed on the
label. You can choose to group like ingredients
together or use parentheses to declare
sub-ingredients. |
|
Ingredient statements that are too long Salt
is salt is salt. Its simpler and more consumer
friendly to use a composite ingredient statement
that adds all like ingredients together. |
|
Incorrect formatting for Nutrition Facts
Lines, bars, fonts, spacing and type styles come
with tight specifications. Leave your creativity
to other aspects of the label. |
|
Incorrect serving size on Nutrition Facts
While consumers may consider a food with fewer
calories and less fat more attractive, we cannot
choose the serving size to influence
nutrient values. We must follow FDA's "Reference
Amounts Customarily Consumed." |
|
Incorrect rounding on Nutrition Facts Silly
mistakes happen. Look twice if you see a food
item with 63.5 calories. |
Getting the label right is key as
easily-identifiable mistakes can call into question
every other element of the label. To prevent inadvertent food label faux
pas and ensure your food label
complies with FDA regulations, take a look at this
quick one-pager. It can help steer you clear of the
common mistakes food labelers make. |
|
What's News in the
Food Label Community
|
Restaurant menu labeling: who cares
about calories? |
|
Unequal serving sizes in a two-serving container |
|
Allergen & gluten-free labeling for glucose syrup derived from wheat starch |
|
Labeling "other ingredients" for dietary supplements |
|
CFIA guidance for manufacturers and importers of flavor packets |
|
EU comments on fat taxes and
self-regulation of junk food marketing |
|
|
Connect with
other food labelers on LinkedIn |
|
|
|
|
Reader Favorites
What criteria must be met for a product to be labeled
vegetarian? |
|
Search answers
to food label questions |
|
|
|
|
Claims can be the most challenging part of developing
compliant food labels. Nutrient content claims such as healthy or high fiber
cannot be used at will as they are defined by FDA regulations. These claims can
be used only on foods with a specific nutrient profile. To learn more about nutrient content claims, consult the
Nutrient and
Health Claims U.S. and Canadian Regulatory Guide
co-developed by Food Consulting Company and Silliker. |
Nutrition Analysis Series - Part 10 of 10
Additional Resources
This months final installment of our 10-part series
provides additional resources to help you achieve
accurate database nutrition analysis. This series is
based on a widely regarded publication distributed by ESHA Research to users of Genesis R&D, the industrys
leading nutrition analysis software.
|
This 10-part series provided many insights to
save you time in the nutrition analysis process
while helping you get results that will stand up
to the toughest of scrutiny. View/print the
entire Guide
here. |
View/print
Part 10 of the
series
If you
missed earlier parts of the series you can view and
download them now. (Get
Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3,
Part 4,
Part 5,
Part 6,
Part 7,
Part 8, or
Part 9.)
The print-ready pages from all parts of the
series will add up to the complete guide.
|
Reader Q&A
Find
answers to our readers'
questions or send us
your question for an
upcoming issue.
Q. |
We have developed a line of Sauces, two of which have
honey in the ingredients. We want to have a Vegan
call-out on our label. As I researched this online, it
appears that many in the Vegan community do not consider
honey to be Vegan. Can we legally make a Vegan claim if
the product has honey?
− D.O.,
Tennessee,
Food Manufacturer
|
A. |
Neither FDA nor FTC has
any labeling regulations for vegetarian or vegan
statements, other than being "truthful and not
misleading."
Read more. |
|
|
What matters in food labeling
Food Label News,
now in its 13th year, is a monthly e-newsletter reaching
over 7,500 subscribers around the world. We
welcome your colleagues to subscribe for news and insights
about food labels:
www.foodlabels.com/subscribe
|
|
|
Your virtual
food label partner
Food Consulting Company,
founded in 1993, provides nutrition analysis, food labeling,
and regulatory support for more than 1,500 clients worldwide.
Our
guarantee: 100% regulatory compliance.
Contact us
for the help you need now.
You may reprint all or part of this newsletter
provided you attribute it to Food Label News
and include a link to
www.foodlabels.com.
© 2013. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.
|
|