A Guide to Nutrition Diet: Who Regulates Nutrition Facts?

October 22, 2025 •

5 min read

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 was a landmark law that required nutrition labels on most packaged foods sold in the United States, giving consumers a powerful tool for making informed dietary choices. For anyone pursuing a specific nutrition diet, knowing who regulates nutrition facts is essential for trusting the information that guides their food selections and health decisions.

Quick Summary

US nutrition facts are regulated primarily by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for most processed items and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for meat and poultry. This regulatory framework is designed to ensure food labels are accurate, informative, and not misleading to consumers.

Key Points

US Regulatory Framework: In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates most packaged foods and dietary supplements, while the Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees meat, poultry, and certain egg products.
Standardized Information: The Nutrition Facts Panel is a standardized format required on most packaged foods, detailing calories, fats, carbohydrates, and other nutrients per serving.
Oversight of Claims: The FDA strictly regulates nutrient content claims (e.g., 'low fat'), health claims (e.g., 'reduces heart disease risk'), and structure/function claims (e.g., 'calcium builds strong bones').
International Guidelines: The Codex Alimentarius Commission sets international standards for food labeling, which many countries use as a basis for their own regulations.
Label Verification: Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their labels are truthful and accurate, often by testing products in accredited laboratories. Regulatory agencies like the FDA and USDA enforce these standards.
NLEA Impact: The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990 was instrumental in mandating uniform nutrition labels, shifting from voluntary disclosure to a required public health tool.

The Dual-Agency System: FDA and USDA

In the United States, the regulation of nutrition information on food packaging is divided between two primary federal agencies: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The split in authority is based on the type of food product, which can sometimes cause confusion for consumers. The FDA has jurisdiction over most packaged foods, dietary supplements, and bottled water. In contrast, the USDA, specifically its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), is responsible for regulating the labeling of meat, poultry, and certain egg products.

The FDA's authority stems from the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, which, along with the landmark Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1990, established the requirements for the modern Nutrition Facts panel. These regulations mandate standardized formats, serving sizes, and the inclusion of specific nutrient information. The USDA, for its part, ensures that labels for the products under its purview meet similar federal standards for truthfulness and accuracy.

The Anatomy of the Nutrition Facts Panel

The modern Nutrition Facts panel, revised in 2016, is a key tool for consumer education, with specific components regulated by the FDA and USDA. Key elements that manufacturers must accurately list include:

Serving Size: Standardized to reflect the amount of food or drink people typically consume at one time, not a recommended portion.
Calories: A prominent listing for the total calories per serving.
Macronutrients: Declares the amounts of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, total carbohydrates, and protein per serving.
Daily Values (DVs): Expressed as a percentage, the DV helps consumers understand how a food contributes to a total daily diet based on a 2,000-calorie reference intake.
Vitamins and Minerals: Lists essential vitamins and minerals, with updated requirements for Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
Added Sugars: A new addition to the label, separating naturally occurring sugars from those added during processing.

Regulation of Label Claims

Beyond the standard nutrition panel, regulators also oversee specific claims that manufacturers place on packaging to market their products. The FDA categorizes these into three main types, each with its own set of rules and requirements.

Nutrient Content Claims: These characterize the level of a nutrient in the food, using terms like “low fat,” “high fiber,” or “good source of”. The FDA defines the exact criteria for using these terms to prevent misleading statements.
Health Claims: These claims describe a relationship between a food substance and a disease or health-related condition. For a manufacturer to use a health claim, the FDA must first authorize it based on significant scientific agreement. An example is the claim linking calcium and Vitamin D to a reduced risk of osteoporosis.
Structure/Function Claims: These claims describe the role of a nutrient in affecting the normal structure or function of the human body (e.g., “calcium builds strong bones”). While the FDA does not pre-approve these claims for conventional foods, manufacturers must have scientific substantiation and include a specific disclaimer for dietary supplements.

International Standards and Global Trade

While the FDA and USDA handle domestic US regulation, the global food trade is influenced by international standards set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods provides a framework that many countries use as a guide for their own national food labeling policies.

This international harmonization helps ensure fair trade practices and provides consistency in labeling for consumers worldwide. However, national regulations can vary based on local priorities and dietary guidelines. The European Union, for instance, operates under its own set of comprehensive rules that dictate font size, allergen highlighting, and mandatory nutrient declarations. For products destined for international markets, manufacturers must be aware of and comply with the specific requirements of the destination country.

Comparison of US Food Labeling Regulators


Feature	Food and Drug Administration (FDA)	U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Primary Jurisdiction	Most packaged foods, fresh produce, dietary supplements, and bottled water.	Meat, poultry, and certain egg products.
Key Legislation	Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA).	Federal Meat Inspection Act, Poultry Products Inspection Act, and Egg Products Inspection Act.
Label Approval	Generally, manufacturers do not need pre-approval for labels, but must comply with requirements. The FDA can take enforcement action for violations.	Requires pre-approval for all meat and poultry labels through its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Health Claims	Requires specific scientific evidence and pre-market authorization for some claims.	Oversees claims related to its products, also ensuring they are truthful and not misleading.

The Role of Enforcement and Verification

For the system to be effective, enforcement and verification are critical. Regulators monitor labels and advertising to ensure compliance. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) works in conjunction with the FDA to monitor food-related marketing claims. Manufacturers, meanwhile, must ensure their product formulations and labeling claims are accurate and scientifically sound. This process involves testing products through accredited laboratories to verify that the declared nutrient values are correct within established tolerances.

In cases of non-compliance, regulators issue warning letters, product recalls, or pursue other enforcement actions to protect consumers from misleading information or health risks. This robust oversight is what gives consumers confidence that the information on a Nutrition Facts panel is reliable. It also incentivizes manufacturers to produce healthier, more responsibly labeled products, which is a significant part of encouraging healthier nutrition for all. For more information on food labeling regulations, refer to the official U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

Conclusion

The process of regulating nutrition facts is a comprehensive effort involving multiple agencies, robust legislation, and international cooperation. For consumers, this intricate system translates into clear, standardized, and reliable information on food labels, enabling them to make better choices for their nutrition diet. By understanding the roles of key regulators, like the FDA and USDA, consumers can navigate the grocery store with greater confidence and hold food producers accountable for their product claims. Ultimately, the regulated Nutrition Facts panel is a crucial tool for promoting public health and empowering a more informed and health-conscious public.

Frequently Asked Questions

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for regulating the labeling of meat, poultry, and certain egg products, requiring all labels for these items to receive pre-approval.

A health claim describes the relationship between a food substance and a disease or health condition and requires FDA authorization based on significant scientific evidence. A structure/function claim describes a nutrient's role in the body's normal functions and does not need pre-approval, though it must be scientifically substantiated and truthful.

The term 'natural' is not strictly defined by the FDA for most foods, though it generally implies a minimally processed food with no artificial ingredients. For meat, poultry, and egg products, the USDA has specific rules stating that 'natural' products must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients.

No, the FDA does not pre-approve food labels for most products it regulates. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their labels comply with all regulations, but the FDA can inspect labels and take enforcement actions against misleading or false information.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission sets international food standards and guidelines, including those for nutrition labeling. Many countries use these guidelines as a basis for developing or harmonizing their own national regulations.

Daily Values (DVs) are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day, expressed as a percentage on the Nutrition Facts panel. They help consumers understand the nutrient content of a food in the context of a total daily diet, typically based on a 2,000-calorie intake.

Yes, some foods are exempt from standard labeling requirements, including certain raw foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, fish), products sold by small businesses with limited sales, and foods with insignificant nutritional content.