If you are new to the food labeling, nutrition data, and packaging industry, the task of creating a simple food label might be more challenging than you realize
Now that you have made a food product, you want to start selling it to the masses as soon as possible. However, you cannot simply slap a homemade label on your packaging and send them to grocery stores nationwide – the labeling of food can be a bit more complicated than that.
There are food labeling rules and regulations that you must follow.
The United States, and many other countries, have created governmental bodies whose purpose is to inspect and advertise what exactly is in every product available for Americans to consume.
These government agencies are entrusted with ensuring that all the food available in stores for purchase by consumers is safe to eat. A large part of that responsibility is enforcing proper labeling of food products by food manufacturers.
This article will dive into which governmental agencies you need to appease, the new information you need to know, and how Nutritionist Pro™ can help create proper labels for your food product.
Government Agencies
The USDA
One agency you might have to appease with adequate food labeling is the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) team. The USDA regulates food labeling and safety, mainly for meat, poultry, and processed egg products.
If your food product has any of the above ingredients, you will likely have to adhere to USDA standards and comply with the FSIS team. Here is a link to the FSIS website to see the rules and regulations necessary for your product to pass inspection and how they can help you.
The FDA
The primary government agency your food labels will need to pass inspection for is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA ensures that all foods sold in the United States are safe, edible, and correctly labeled and inspects all ethnic cuisine.
The FDA is the governing body that most people needing food labeling will have to interact with and get approval from. They have a massive and informative website with all the information you need to get your food labeling correct.
They also have a fantastic page on their website that has tons of great information on what you will need to know for the proper labeling of food products, including nutritional information, serving sizes, calorie counts, sugars, location of the labels, types of labels, how to name your food (statement of identity), and more. Bookmark this page, as it will come in handy when creating your labels.
If you need assistance with creating your food labels, trust the experts at Nutritionist Pro™. With over forty years of experience and the input of real nutritionists, our software has everything you need for creating perfect labels for your products, plus much more. Contact Nutritionist Pro™ today to see how we can help you navigate the nutrition world with ease.
Important Information To Remember
New Rules for Labels
In 2016, the FDA introduced changes to the food labeling format and the nutrients displayed under the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA). These changes are to reflect new scientific information about the links between specific foods and chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease. For the labeling of food, there are new requirements for the font size for serving sizes and calorie counts, and new daily values, which allow consumers to make better-informed food choices.
Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to update their labels by January 1, 2020, while manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual sales had an extra year. By now, most manufacturers should have their new labels in place. If your product has not been updated, ensure that you create new labels with the proper information right away.
New Rules for Ingredients
There are new rules for listing three additional ingredients on nutrition labels: potassium, vitamin D, and added sugars. You will need to carefully look at your food product to see if it needs to be reformulated to make it more attractive to consumers or if you can still supply certain vendors. Here is a link for everything you need to know on the proper labeling of food products with these ingredients.
Importing and Exporting
If you import or export your food product into or out of the United States, you will need to comply with even more regulations and processes. If you plan to ship your food or import food products as part of your product, check out this page for everything you need to know about importing and exporting and how it affects your food labeling.
Take the Time To Get It Right
There is a lot of information and work required for the proper labeling of food products. The FDA and the USDA are fantastic resources to help guide you through the process, and their websites have lots of information to help you navigate their regulations. Here is a PDF guide from the FDA of everything you need to know about the labeling of food, and here is one from the USDA and the FSIS.
As there is a lot of information to process and many rules to follow, ensure that you give yourself enough time to digest everything needed for your food labeling. Take your time and make your food products and their labels as clear and unique as possible, so you stand out from the competition.
While your food product’s quality will speak and sell for itself, there is no substitute for having clear and concise information about what it is. With the proper labeling of food products, you will save yourself time and money by providing answers to many questions upfront about the contents of your product.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has helped you start your food labeling journey so you can begin selling your product. At Nutritionist Pro™, we have tons of additional information and cutting-edge software that will let you quickly and easily construct your nutrition labels.
With editing and creating recipes, label design templates, built-in rounding rules, and daily value percentage calculations, Nutritionist Pro’s software has food labeling covered. We even offer food label designs and compliance for the USA, Canada, UK, EU, China, and Hong Kong.
In addition to food labeling software, Nutritionist Pro™ also has diet analysis and menu creation software that can help you plan meals, track calories, build recipes and menus, and lots more. Click the link below to contact Nutritionist Pro™ and let us help you make everything related to food labeling easier.