What are the requirements for a nutrition label?

November 1, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the FDA, the Nutrition Facts label was updated in 2016 for the first time in over two decades to reflect updated scientific information. This vital tool provides consumers with essential details about the food they purchase, but its creation is subject to a strict set of regulations concerning design, content, and formatting. Knowing what are the requirements for a nutrition label is crucial for manufacturers and informed consumers alike.

Quick Summary

This guide details the mandatory components and formatting rules for a nutrition facts panel based on U.S. FDA regulations. It explains the information that must be declared, how serving sizes are determined, the significance of Percent Daily Value, and the key changes introduced in the 2016 label update for packaged foods.

Key Points

Mandatory Information: Labels must include serving size, calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, protein, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium.
Refreshed Design: The new label features larger, bolder font for 'Serving Size,' 'Servings Per Container,' and 'Calories' for improved visibility.
Added Sugars Section: A significant update requires the explicit listing of 'Added Sugars' in grams and as a percentage of the Daily Value.
Nutrient Updates: The list of required vitamins has changed, with Vitamin D and Potassium now mandatory, while Vitamins A and C are optional.
Serving Size Clarification: Serving sizes are based on current consumption habits, not nutritional recommendations, and dual-column labels are used for larger packages that may be consumed in one sitting.
Ingredient List Rules: All ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight, with the most abundant ingredient appearing first.

Mandatory Elements of the Nutrition Facts Panel

For most packaged foods sold in the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates a standardized Nutrition Facts panel. This panel serves as a critical resource, providing consumers with the information needed to make informed dietary choices. Manufacturers must adhere to FDA regulations and include specific components in their product labeling.

Serving Information

The serving information, displayed at the top, is crucial for understanding the nutrient declarations that follow. The serving size represents the amount of food or drink typically consumed in one sitting, not a recommendation. The label must include:

Servings Per Container: The total number of servings in the package.
Serving Size: Based on reference amounts customarily consumed (RACCs), expressed in household measures (like cups) and metric units (grams).

Calories

The total number of calories per serving is prominently listed in large, bold font.

Nutrients for Daily Values

The main part of the label lists nutrients categorized as those to limit and those to get enough of, with amounts in grams or milligrams and their Percent Daily Value (%DV).

Nutrients to Limit: Includes saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, which should be consumed in lower amounts.
Nutrients to Get Enough of: Includes dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, which are often under-consumed and are important for health.

Ingredient List

Separate from the nutrition facts panel but mandatory, the ingredient list shows all ingredients in descending order by weight, with the most abundant listed first.

Formatting Rules and Recent FDA Updates

The FDA strictly regulates the appearance and content of the Nutrition Facts panel to ensure consistency. The 2016 update introduced several significant changes.

Visual Redesign

Key elements like "Calories," "servings per container," and "Serving size" are now in a larger, bolder font for better readability.

Added Sugars Requirement

A major addition is the mandatory listing of "Added Sugars" in grams and as a %DV. This includes sugars and syrups added during processing, distinct from naturally occurring sugars.

Updated Vitamins and Minerals

Based on public health data, Vitamin D and potassium are now required, while Vitamins A and C are optional. The actual amount (in mg or mcg) and %DV must be declared for mandatory vitamins and minerals.

Dual-Column Labeling

Packages containing more than one serving but often consumed in a single sitting require a dual-column label showing nutrition information per serving and per package.

A Comparison of Old vs. New Nutrition Labels


Feature	Old Label (pre-2020)	New Label (2020+)
Design	Calories, serving size, and servings per container were less prominent.	Larger, bolder fonts for calories, serving size, and servings per container.
Serving Size	Based on outdated consumption data.	Updated to reflect current consumption habits. Example: soda serving increased from 8 to 12 ounces.
Calories from Fat	Mandatory declaration.	Removed, focusing on the type of fat instead of the quantity.
Added Sugars	Not required to be separately listed.	Mandatory declaration in grams and as a %DV.
Vitamins & Minerals	Mandatory for Vitamins A and C, Calcium, and Iron. Only %DV required.	Mandatory for Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium. Both amount (mg/mcg) and %DV required.
Footnote	Explained the relationship between Daily Values and a 2,000 calorie diet.	Rephrased for clearer explanation of %DV.

Conclusion

Adhering to the requirements for a nutrition label is vital for food manufacturers to ensure compliance and transparency. For consumers, understanding the standardized format and mandatory information, including recent updates on serving sizes and added sugars, is crucial for making informed dietary decisions. The FDA's continuous efforts to update these regulations ensure the label remains a valuable tool for public health. You can find detailed regulations on the {Link: FDA website https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods}.

Frequently Asked Questions

When reviewing a nutrition label, you should first check the serving size and servings per container, as this contextualizes all other information. After that, pay close attention to the nutrients to limit (saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars) and the nutrients to get enough of (dietary fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium).

The 'Calories from Fat' line was removed because nutritional science has advanced, showing that the type of fat is more important for health than the overall quantity.

Total sugars include both naturally occurring sugars (like in fruit or milk) and sugars added during processing. Added sugars only list the sweeteners added by the manufacturer, which helps consumers differentiate between naturally sweet foods and those with added sweeteners.

The Percent Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a single serving of a food contributes to a total daily diet, which is based on a 2,000-calorie reference intake. A %DV of 5% or less indicates a low amount of a nutrient, while 20% or more indicates a high amount.

Most packaged foods require a nutrition label under FDA regulations, but there are exemptions for certain items. These include raw fruits, vegetables, and fish, as well as some foods from small businesses.

Serving sizes were updated to better reflect the amounts of food and beverages that people are actually consuming today, not what they were eating decades ago.

Dual-column labeling is for packages that contain more than one serving but might be consumed in one sitting (e.g., a pint of ice cream or a 24-ounce soda). It shows the calorie and nutrient information for a single serving in one column and for the entire package in a second column.