Food Package Labels

By Jennifer Turley and Joan Thompson

© 2013 Cengage

Presentation Overview

• Nutrition Labeling & Education Act• Anatomy of a Food Label• Daily Values: DRVs & RDIs• Assessing fat content in foods • Nutrient density in foods• Understanding Ingredients, Terms,

and Health Claims on food labels

Legislation Overview• 1990: Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990.• 1994: >300,000 packaged foods relabeled. Mandatory

compliance was required by food manufacturers.• Package Size: Packages smaller than 12 square inches

in surface area require a phone number.• Serving Size: The FDA established set serving sizes for

>100 food categories making product comparison easier.• 2003: Legislation passed for trans fatty acids to appear

on a separate line under SFAs in the nutrition facts panel starting January 1, 2006.

• 2004: The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act of 2004 passed. Manufacturers must plainly list milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans ingredients starting January 1, 2006.

Other legislation is described in table 2.1

Anatomy of a food package label

Daily Reference Values

• Daily Reference Values (DRV).• Are based on a 2000 Calorie diet.• Are used exclusively on Food

Package labels.• Are applicable to adults and children

4 years or older. • See Appendix.

DRV’sBased on a 2000 Calorie Diet

• Fat (29% of Calories or 65 g)• Saturated Fat (9% of Calories or 20 g) • Cholesterol (300 mg)• Carbohydrate (60% of Calories or 300 g)• Fiber (12.5 gm/1000 Calories or 25 g)• Protein (12% of Calories or 50 g high

quality Pro, 65 gm low quality Pro) • Sodium (Na; 2400 mg)• Potassium (K; 3500 mg)

Classifying Foods by Fat Content

• High-fat: >35% of Calories come from fat.

• Moderately-fat: 25-35% of Calories come from fat.

• Low-fat: <25% of Calories come from fat.

Calculating % Fat by Calories

• Vitamin A 0%• Calcium 0%

• Vitamin C 0%• Iron 4%

Nutrition FactsServing size 1/3 cup in shells (41 g)Servings per container about 5

Amount per serving

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 100

% Daily value

Total Fat 12 g Saturated Fat 1.5 g Trans Fatty Acids 0 gCholesterol 0 mgSodium 380 mgTotal Carbohydrate 5 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 1 gProtein 6 g

19%9%--0%16%2%6%--

Sample Food Label

Calculating % Fat by Weight

Hamburger Example

PATTIES

NET WEIGHT (48 oz) 3 LBS (1.36 Kg)

100% BEEF

Quarter Pound PattiesContain 15% Fat

Hamburger Example

• Vitamin A 0%• Calcium 0%

• Vitamin C 0%• Iron 10%

Nutrition FactsServing size 1 patty (112 g)Servings per Container 12

Amount per serving

Calories 240 Calories from Fat 150

% Daily value

Total Fat 17 g Saturated Fat 7 g Trans Fatty Acids 0 gCholesterol 75 mgSodium 75 mgTotal Carbohydrate 0 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Sugars 0 gProtein 22 g

26%34%--24%3%0%0%--

Whole Milk Example• 244 g/cup• 8 g Fat X 9 Calories/gram = 72 Cals• 9 g Pro X 4 Calories/gram = 36 Cals• 12 g Carbs X 4 Calories/gram = 48 Cals

– Amount of total Calories? • 72+36+48 = 156 Calories

– Amount of fat based on weight? • 8 g ÷ 244 g x 100 = 3.3%

– Amount of fat based on Calories? • 72 cals ÷ 156 Cals x 100 = 46%

• Classification: whole milk is a high fat food.

Energy Producing Nutrientslooking deeper

• The nutrition facts panel provides total Calories, Fat Calories, grams carbohydrate, protein, and fat.– Subcategories are given for fat and carbohydrate.

• Total fat is the sum grams of all the type of fatty acids found in the food. Manufacturers only show component gram amounts of SFA & TFA.

• Total carbohydrate is the sum grams of simple and complex carbohydrate. Manufacturers only show component gram amounts of sugars & fiber (which is non-caloric).

• % of Calories from simple sugar, SFA, protein etc can be determined as follows:– Grams x Calories/gm ÷ total Calories x 100 = % Calories

Energy Producing Nutrientslooking deeper examples

• Corn Taco shell example: Total Calories 110, protein grams 2.– % Calories from Protein: 2 x 4 Cal/gm ÷ 110

x 100 = 7.3%• Raspberry Jam example: Total Calories

60, total CHO grams 11, Sugars grams 9.– % Calories from Carbohydrate: 11 x 4

Cal/gm ÷ 60 x 100 = 73%– % Calories from Sugars: 9 x 4 Cal/gm ÷ 60 x

100 = 60%

Applying KnowledgeGiven your understanding of the nutrients … let’s apply it.• Is the protein in the ____ example HBV or LBV?

– Cereal– Hamburger– Corn Taco Shells– Peanuts

• Is the majority of carbohydrate in the _____simple or complex?– Cereal– Corn Taco Shells– Peanuts– Raspberry Jam– Whole Milk

• What kind of fatty acids are in the ________?– Peanuts– Whole Milk– Hamburger

Reference Daily Intakes (RDI’s)• Are set for vitamins & minerals essential

in human nutrition. • Use the highest RDA value from the 1968

RDA table for men or women. • Are expressed as percentages.• Are mandatory on every food package

label for Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron.

• Other nutrients may appear on the label.• See Appendix for values.

The RDI’s

g (gram), mg (milligram), µg (microgram)

Nutrient Amount Units Nutrient Amount UnitsThiaminRiboflavinNiacinBiotinPantothenic AcidVitamin B6

FolateVitamin B12

Vitamin CVitamin AVitamin DVitamin E Vitamin K

1.5 1.7 20 300 10 2 400 6 60 5,000 400 30 80

mgmgmgµgmgmgµgµgmgIU1

IU1

IU1

µg

CalciumIronZincIodineCopperChromiumSeleniumMolybdenumManganeseChlorideMagnesiumPhosphorus

1,000 18 15 150 2 120 70 75 2 3,400 400 1,000

mgmgmgµgmgµgµgµgmgmgmgmg

1IU: International Units

Nutrient Density

• Nutrient Dense Foods: A food is nutrient dense if it provides at least 20% of the RDI for a nutrient per serving.

• Nutrient Density: The amount of nutrient in reference to the Calories or serving of food.

What does 25% Vitamin C mean?

How many mg of Vit C are in 1 serving of food?

The RDI for Vit C is 60 mg. (see appendix)

60 mg x 25% ÷ 100 = 15 mg Vit C per serving.

Nutrient Density: Cereal Example

Ingredients List

INGREDIENTS: Whole oats, milled corn, enriched wheat flour, dextrose, maltose, high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, coconut oil, walnuts, salt, natural flavors, sodium ascorbate, vitamin A palmitate, and iron.

Terms

• Free: Negligible amounts of fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, or Calories. <0.5 grams of TFAs per serving.

• Reduced or Less: 25% less of a nutrient compared to the original product.

• Light or Lite: 1/3 fewer Calories; 1/2 the fat or sodium; color or texture (compared to the original product).

Terms• Low:

– Sodium (≤140 mg per serving) – Cholesterol (≤20 mg per serving) – Calorie (≤40 Calories per serving) – Fat (≤3 g fat per 3.5 ounce serving)

• Lean: ≤10 g fat; ≤4.5 g SFA & TFA; ≤95 mg cholesterol per 3.5 ounce serving

• Extra lean: ≤5 g fat; ≤2 g SFA & TFA; ≤95 mg cholesterol per 3.5 ounce serving

3.5 ounces = 100 grams

Health Claims

• A statement linking the nutrition profile of the food to a reduced risk of a particular disease.

• To make a claim that a food supplies a good source of a nutrient, usually the food must provide at least 20% of the RDI or DRV.

Health Claims

• Careful phrasing is required. • For example, if a product provides a good

source of calcium [at least 20% of the RDI for calcium (200 mg)] per serving, then the health claim “this product may prevent osteoporosis” can be legally used.

• The company must also mention that other factors like exercise may prevent osteoporosis.

FDA Approved Health Claims

1. Calcium & Osteoporosis2. Low Fat & Cancer3. SFA and TFA, cholesterol, and heart

disease4. Fiber containing fruits, vegetables, and

whole grains and cancer5. Fiber containing fruits, vegetables, and

whole grains and heart disease6. Sodium and high blood pressure

FDA Approved Health Claims

7. Fruits and vegetables (vitamin C and beta-carotene) and cancer

8. Sugar alcohols and dental caries

9. Folic Acid and Neural Tube Defects

10. Soluble fiber from oats and barley and heart disease

FDA Approved Health Claims

11. Soy and heart disease12. Potassium and blood pressure and

stroke 13. Plant sterol/stanol esters and heart

disease14. Fluoridated water and dental caries

Knock it down Disease Wise• Heart Disease: Low fat, SFA & TFA, cholesterol,

a good source of fiber especially soluble fiber from oats and barley, soy, and plant sterols/stanols.

• Blood Pressure & Stroke: Food must be low in sodium and a good source of potassium.

• Cancer: Food must be low fat, and a good source of fiber, fruits and/or vegetables. Meat must be extra lean.

• Osteoporosis: Food must be high in calcium.• Neural Tube Defects: Food must provide 40 µg

per serving or more of folic acid.• Dental Caries/Tooth Decay: Food must be

sugar free and may contain sugar alcohols.

Summary• Food Package labels use the nutrition facts panel

that contains DRV’s & RDI’s.• Determining whether a food is high fat is done

best by calculating percent of Calories from fat.• A food is nutrient dense if ≥20% of the RDI for a

nutrient is provided per serving.• Ingredients are listed in descending order, by

weight or volume.• There are specific definitions for terms used on

food labels.• There are specific FDA approved health claims

for food package labels.

References for this presentation are the same as those for this topic found in module 2 of the textbook