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Guidelines for Food Label Claims, Fat Free, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Sugar Free, Low Calories + Food Additives, Preservatives

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What is in my food besides food?

Many if not most manufactured foods contain food additives used to improve taste, texture, appearance, shelf life, safety, or nutritional value of the product. Some of the general food additive categories include: antioxidants, antimicrobials, coloring agents, emulsifiers, flavoring agents, sweeteners, pH controllers, leavening agents, texturizers, stabilizers, enzymes, and conditioners. All food additives were tested for safety and received approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This process can take years.

 

Guidelines for Food Label Claims

  • Fat Free – must have less than 0.5 grams per serving

  • Saturated Fat Free – must contain less than 0.5 grams per serving
  • Cholesterol Free – must contain less than 2 milligrams per serving
  • Sugar Free – must contain less than 0.5 grams per serving
  • Sodium Free – must contain less than 5 milligrams per serving
  • Calorie Free – must contain less than 5 Calories per serving
  • Low Fat – must contain no more than 3 grams of fat per serving
  • Low Sodium – must contain less than 40 milligrams per serving
  • Low Calories – must contain less than 40 Calories per serving
  • Low Cholesterol – must contain less than 20 milligrams per serving
  • High or Good Source – one serving must contain at least 20% or more of the recommendation for that nutrient
  • Reduced, Less, or Fewer – must contain at least 25% less of a nutrient, per serving, as compared to the same nutrient in a reference food
  • More or Added – must contain at least 10% more of the DV for a nutrient as compared to a reference food
  • Light or Lite – the food have at least 50% less fat than a similar, unmodified food which in its unmodified form contains more than 50% of its Calories from fat
  • Lean (meat, fish, poultry) – must contain less than 10 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams of the food
  • Extra Lean – must contain less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams of the food
  • Fresh – food must be unprocessed, in raw state, and never frozen

 

 

 

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