To assist people in making nutritious purchases at the grocery store, consumer, public health, and medical organizations led a campaign in the 1980s for legislation that required food labeling using a standardized format.

In 1990, after several years of effort, the U.S. Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to require products sold in the United States to provide detailed nutrition information, as well as requiring nutrition and health claims for foods to comply with government standards.

Food labels must include a Nutrition Facts Panel that provides specific information about the calorie content and nutritional values for specific components. On every food label, you will see serving size, number of servings, and number of calories per serving, as well as information on the amount of dietary fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, dietary sodium, carbohydrates, proteins, and at least two vitamins and minerals in each serving. (INFOGRAPHIC 2.11)

Question 2.10

The percent Daily Value (%DV) serves as a guide to the level of key nutrients in one serving of food. Developed specifically for use on food labels, DVs can help guide consumers toward better selections. Expressed as a percentage of recommended intakes within a 2,000 kilocalories per day diet, consumers can see how foods might add up in helping them meet—or, in some cases, not exceed—-dietary goals. Of course, people’s daily caloric needs vary, but the %DV can still serve as a frame of reference.

For the nutrients that we sometimes eat too much of (total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium) the DV represents the maximum amount to eat per day. In contrast, the DVs for carbohydrates and the nutrients listed below it on the food label (such as fiber, calcium, and iron) represent the minimum amount that we should consume each day, and our goal is to consume at least 100% of the DV for these nutrients. For other nutrients, like trans fats and sugars, there is not enough research to establish a specific reference DV.

The NLEA also requires an ingredients list, which is another useful tool when making purchases, as it provides more specific information about what the food product contains. The ingredients must be listed in descending order of amount, measured by weight. Many foods include added colors; without them, colas wouldn’t be brown, and mint-flavored ice cream wouldn’t be green. Any pigment or coloring derived from natural materials can be listed simply as “artificial colors,” but any coloring derived from synthetic chemicals must be listed by name. Other label requirements are that all juices must indicate the percentage of fruit juice content, and all foods must list any ingredient that could cause an allergic reaction, such as milk, peanuts, sulfites, and eggs.

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Before 1990, manufacturers had not been required to provide details of any nutritional content, and any labeling that occurred was not consistent. Since the NLEA went into effect, not much has changed in the appearance and content of the food label; in 2006, however, the FDA began requiring manufacturers to list the amount of trans fat present in their foods. The requirement for nutrition labeling also serves as an incentive for food manufacturers to produce or modify their food products to improve the nutritional profile.

The NLEA also regulates the claims that can appear on food and dietary supplement labels that inform consumers of the health-related attributes of these products. For instance, manufacturers will make nutrient claims that describe the level of a nutrient in a food using terms such as “low,” “high,” “excellent source,” “light,” or “reduced.” The FDA regulates the use of these terms to ensure that they are used consistently across all types of food products.

Health claims describe the link between a food, food component, or dietary supplement substance, and a reduction in the risk of a disease. All health claims that appear on food products and dietary supplement labels must be approved by the FDA, which ensures they are supported by a significant amount of science before appearing on a label. Recently, the agency began allowing claims based on new research, but these must include a statement indicating that the evidence supporting the claim is limited, or even weak.

Finally, structure/function claims describe the role of a nutrient or dietary substance in maintaining normal structures, function, and health, but may not have any relationship to disease. “Heart healthy,” or “helps support immunity” are examples of structure/function claims. Such claims are not evaluated or regulated by the FDA. (INFOGRAPHIC 2.12) Chapter 12 discusses structure/function claims in more detail.

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Question 2.11

Food labels don’t always make it easier to eat healthfully. A recent survey of more than 25,000 people worldwide found that more than half have difficulty understanding food labels. And just because labels are there doesn’t mean people will use them; other research has shown that less than 25% of teen-agers choose foods based on nutritional labels, and men who say they read food labels are only slightly leaner than men who don’t.