Volume 12, Number 12 - December
2011
Happy Holidays from Food Label News.
It’s time to celebrate the season with family, friends and
fellow food labelers. We salute our neighbors to the north
with a quick comparison of U.S. and Canadian food label
requirements. We also bring you the next in our popular
series on U.S. Nutrition Facts labeling with how-to’s for
smaller packages. In the spirit of the season, we offer a
lighthearted twist on a Nutrition Facts Label perfect for
the Holidays. You can view, download and customize your own
on the LinkedIn
Food Label Community. Wishing
you peace and abundance at this special time of year. Enjoy!
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Quick Food Label Comparisons:
U.S. vs. Canada
One of the most popular topics
from Food Label News is the distinction between U.S. and
Canadian food labeling requirements. As many of you know, it
is not possible to have a food label that satisfies the
requirements in both countries. A previous
Reader Q&A and
newsletter article on the topic provide a good overview
of many of the differences.
We have developed one-page
quick comparisons for three of the major differences. Take a
look to determine the nuances between U.S. and Canadian
requirements:
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Keeping You Current
Consumers pay less attention to NFPs than they think
NPA reports a
"Natural Seal" for food labels is coming
GE food labeling: California Right-to-Know ACT
FSIS delays mandatory labeling for single-ingredient
items (see page 3)
Join
Food Label Community
for a discussion of the news
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While both the U.S.
and Canada participate in Codex, the international body that
provides guidance on food safety and labeling issues, each
country is responsible for its own set of food labeling
regulations. Unfortunately for food labelers, these
regulations are not co-developed. |
Examples of Nutrition Facts
Labels:
Part 3 of 10
Requirements for
Nutrition Facts vary based on several factors. This
series provides examples of compliant U.S. Nutrition
Facts Labels for the most common scenarios.
One of the primary
variables for developing a compliant Nutrition Facts
Label is the space available for labeling. If your
package has less than 40 square inches of available
labeling space, there are several options to ensure
that your Nutrition Facts graphic is fully
compliant. The biggest space-saver is use of a
shortened Daily Values footnote in either a vertical
or horizontal layout. Other options include use of
abbreviations, the “not a significant source”
statement, and a compressed linear layout.
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Q. |
If one is making a product consisting of three
simple ingredients with no salt, sugar or preservatives added,
how extensive does the nutrition statement have to be
for the label on such a product?
− G.C., Washington, Established Food Company |
A. |
It depends on the profile
of the finished product per serving and whether nutrient
content claims are made. If the finished product has no
significant nutrients to list (i.e., all label values
are zero) and no nutrition claims are made, the
Nutrition Facts panel can be omitted. Spices and teas
for example do not always require that the label
includes the Nutrition Facts.
Read more. |
At Your Service
Food
Consulting Company,
founded in 1993, provides nutrition analysis, food labeling
and regulatory support to ensure 100% compliance with FDA
regulations. With well over 1,500 clients worldwide, we’re
pleased to provide
information to address your
food labeling needs.
We value our relationships and
are working to stay connected. To build your network, we
invite you to connect with us via
LinkedIn and while you’re
there, join the
Food Label Community.
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.
©
2011. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.
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