• Food manufacturers determine the nutrient contents of their own products to indicate on the Nutrition Facts label. The FDA does not initially check for accuracy, but they collect samples to monitor accuracy of the information provided. ¹
• In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the United States Department of Agriculture. Lincoln called the USDA “The People’s Department” because it touches the lives of every American, every day. The USDA still fulfills this mission overseeing the production of our food.²
• The origin of the FDA traces back to the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act.³

In the 1960s, most Americans were preparing their food at home from scratch. Within a few years, the demand and cultural preferences began shifting toward prepared and prepackaged foods. After outbreaks of food borne illness and growing allergy concerns, consumers wanted more information about the packaged food they were buying. The Nutrition Facts label was the solution. The Nutrition Facts label has been printed on retail foods since the 1960s. Nutrition labels are standardized and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for consistency and accuracy.

The last major change to the Nutrition Facts label was initiated in 2016. Food companies have until January 2020 to implement the food label changes, so both label formats may be found until then.

Changes were developed based on new scientific research and an effort to help consumers connect their dietary choices with chronic disease. The new food label is designed to be easier for consumers to read and understand, allowing them to make more informed choices about the food they eat. Changes include the following:

• The type size has been increased and bolded for “calories,” “servings per container,” and “serving size.”
• The Daily Values (% DV) footnote has been updated to define what Daily Value means.
• The amount of sugars in the form of syrup, sugar, honey, or sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juice is included in a new section of the label called “Added Sugars.” This new addition to the label was added because research has shown it is difficult to stay under your calorie intake if you are consuming more than 10% of your diet in added sugar.
• Vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and iron are now required nutrients to be listed on the nutrition label. They are listed both in percent Daily Value (DV) and measured by weight (mg or mcg).
• “Calories from Fat” has been removed because it is more important to know the type of fat you are consuming.
• Serving sizes will be based on the amount people are actually eating. Typical serving sizes have increased over the years. For example, a serving of ice cream used to be 1/2 cup, but it will now be 2/3 cup.

Nutrition Facts labels are important tools to help consumers be aware of the contents of their foods in order to meet and not exceed their nutrition requirements. Food labels contain the following information:

• Servings Per Container: Shows the total number of servings found in the entire package.
• Serving Size: This quantity is based on the amount customarily eaten at one time, though typical serving sizes often exceed recommended serving sizes.
• Calories: A unit of measurement used to define the amount of energy a food provides the body.
• Fat: A macronutrient that provides energy, stores energy, and helps digest fat-soluble vitamins. There are four types of fat; polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat.
• Sodium: Refers to the mineral table salt, or sodium chloride. Sodium helps in the function of nerves, muscles, and fluid balance in the body.
• Carbohydrate: A macronutrient which supplies energy to support bodily functions and physical activity. Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums.
• Fiber: The portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by digestive enzymes. Fiber improves digestive health and lowers risk of many chronic diseases.
• Sugar: The sum of naturally occurring sugars and added sugars in a food. Naturally occurring sugars would include fructose in fruit or lactose in dairy products. Added sugars are those added in the processing of food in the form of table sugar, honey, syrups, etc.
• Protein: A macronutrient needed to maintain bone, muscle, and skin health.
• Vitamins and Minerals: This section declares the amount of vitamins or minerals found in each serving of food. Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium are required on the label because they have been found to be most at risk of being deficient in the United States.
• % Daily Value: The percent of each nutrient provided in one serving of the food based on recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet.