A proposal, not a rule (yet)
FDA has published a proposed rule called "Food Labeling: Front-of-Package Nutrition Information". It would add a new section, 21 CFR 101.6, requiring a Nutrition Info box on most foods that carry a Nutrition Facts label. Until FDA publishes a final rule, none of it applies, and the final version may differ from the proposal.
- Who: most foods that must carry a Nutrition Facts label and are marketed to people 4 and older
- Where: the upper third of the front panel (the principal display panel)
- What: saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, each rated Low, Med or High
- When, if finalized: 3 years after the final rule takes effect for businesses with $10 million or more in annual food sales, 4 years for smaller businesses
What the Nutrition Info box would show
The proposal spells out the content exactly, and nothing else may go in the box:
- The heading "Nutrition Info", larger than any other text in the box
- Two subheadings: "Per serving" with your serving size, such as "Per serving (1/2 cup)", and "% Daily Value"
- Saturated Fat, Sodium and Added Sugars, in that order
- For each one, the % Daily Value and the word Low, Med or High
- A banner at the bottom that says "FDA.gov"
Calories are not in the box. The numbers come straight from your Nutrition Facts label: the box uses the same serving and the same % Daily Values.
How Low, Med and High are set
| Rating | % Daily Value per serving |
|---|---|
| Low | 5% or less |
| Med | 6% to 19% |
| High | 20% or more |
These are the same cut-offs FDA already teaches shoppers for reading the Nutrition Facts label: 5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high. The box just prints the verdict for you.
Worked example: honey almond granola
Our granola is rolled oats, honey, almonds, raisins, butter and salt, sold in a 12 oz (340 g) bag. Ready-to-eat cereals that weigh 43 g or more per cup have a reference amount of 60 g, so one serving is 1/2 cup (60g). From its Nutrition Facts label, the box would read:
| Nutrient | Nutrition Facts | % Daily Value | Box rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% | Med |
| Sodium | 105mg | 5% | Low |
| Added Sugars | 12g | 24% | High |
The High comes from the honey. Cut it from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup and added sugars drop to 9g, or 18%: Med. The batch gets lighter, so saturated fat rises from 15% to 18%, still Med, and sodium stays Low at 5%. This is the kind of what-if you can run in our label maker in a minute, before you reprint anything.
Where it goes and how it looks
- Upper third of the principal display panel
- One easy-to-read type style
- Type at least 8 point, and no smaller than your net quantity statement
- All black or one color for text and lines, on a white or neutral background
- A hairline box, a thick rule under the headings, and a hairline between each nutrient
- "Nutrition Info", "% Daily Value" and the Low, Med, High words in extra-bold; nutrient names in bold
Plan for it on the front of your artwork. On a busy front panel, the top third is prime space.
Small packages, variety packs and exemptions
| Situation | Under the proposal |
|---|---|
| Package with 40 sq in or less for labeling | A smaller box without the subheadings and percentages, with "Sat. Fat" and "Add. Sugar" |
| Package with less than 12 sq in for labeling | Exempt |
| Food exempt from Nutrition Facts | Exempt |
| Gift packs with a variety of foods | Exempt |
| Variety pack with an aggregate Nutrition Facts label | One box per product, grouped in a row or a column |
| Label with per serving and per unit columns | The box uses the per serving numbers |
| Label with "as packaged" and "as prepared" columns | The box shows "as packaged", with a note saying so |
Low sodium and low saturated fat claims would change
The same proposal rewrites two nutrient content claims so the front of the package can't contradict itself:
- "Low sodium": the limit for most foods would drop from 140 mg to 115 mg per reference amount, and the box would have to show Low for sodium
- "Low saturated fat": the box would have to show Low for saturated fat
What you can do now
Our label maker gives you the exact % Daily Values the box would use, from your recipe, and lets you test changes for free. It makes the Nutrition Facts panel, not front-of-package graphics: if the rule is finalized, you or your designer would place the box on the front artwork.
Food label design: what goes where →