Volume 13, Number
11 - November
2012
Hello from Food
Label News.
We are
thankful as we begin our 20th year helping clients around
the world with their food labeling and regulatory needs.
Through Food Label News, we keep you current with
what matters in food labeling. This issue covers a popular
topic: the 5 must-haves for food labels. We also begin a
series on due diligence with database nutrition analysis and
will add installments each month focused on different
aspects of the process. Wishing you all the best this Fall.
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5 Must-Haves for FDA Food Labels
There are five
required components for every FDA-regulated food label.
These requirements are divided into the Principal Display
Panel (PDP, front of package) and the Information Panel (IP,
right side/back of package). The positioning and type size
for each component is tightly regulated in the Code of
Federal Regulations. To help navigate the nuances of
creating food label artwork, check out a quick one-page
summary of these label components.
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Principal Display Panel (PDP) is the most
predominant label panel on the package, the one most
visible at the point of sale. It includes the
Product Identity and Net Contents Statement. |
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Information Panel (IP) is the label panel
immediately to the right of the PDP. It includes the
Nutrition Facts, Ingredient/Allergen Statement, and
Signature Line. If there is only a front and back of the
package, the IP is the back panel. If there is a
four-sided package, the IP is the right side panel.
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Download
the
one-pager.
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What's News in the
Food Label Community
Search answers
to food label questions |
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Food labelers who are
labeling USDA-regulated foods must be aware of a
different set of requirements that include
components such as safe handling instructions and the USDA
inspection legend. Food labeling for Canada, Mexico and EU
use many similar components to that of the U.S., although
the formatting, placement, and intricacies of each label
component can be quite different. |
Nutrition Analysis: First in a
10-part series
Determining Nutrition Facts values can be a challenging
undertaking and requires due diligence to ensure
accurate and customer-friendly nutrition information.
This 10-part series is a quick guide with lots of "AHA"
insights to save you time while ensuring the results you
get will stand up to the toughest scrutiny.
Each month
we will provide print-ready pages that step you through
the important aspects of the due diligence process. By
the conclusion of the series you will have the complete
guide. This series is based on a widely regarded
publication distributed by ESHA Research to users of
Genesis R&D, the industry’s leading nutrition analysis
software.
This
month’s installment includes the front cover, table of
contents, and Step 1: Gather Your Data Sources. It will
be important to establish the list of ingredients in
your recipe, determine the nutrients you will be
tracking, have a research-quality nutrition analysis
database, and evaluate the information on your supplier
specification sheets.
View/print
Part 1
of the series.
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Reader Q&A
Find
answers to our readers'
questions or send us
your question for an
upcoming issue.
Q. |
According to my reading and understanding of the FDA
guidelines, Vitamin E does not need to be included in
the Nutrition Facts Panel unless a claim is made about
it on the packaging or when it is added as a supplement.
Is this correct? The FDA guidelines are so detailed!
Just wanted to make sure I get it right.
− N.B., Illinois, Market Research Firm |
A. |
You are correct. Vitamin E
is a voluntary nutrient for U.S. Nutrition Facts
labeling unless it is the basis for a claim on the
label, in labeling or advertising, or is used to fortify
the food. Read more. |
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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
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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.
© 2012. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.
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