What every spice jar needs
- A name that says what it is: "Ground cumin", "Smoked paprika", "Cajun seasoning"
- Net weight on the front, in the bottom 30% of the panel, in ounces and grams: "NET WT 3 OZ (85g)". On a front panel of 5 square inches or less, the bottom 30% rule does not apply
- Your business name and place of business with city, state and ZIP. Packing someone else's blend under your brand? Use a phrase like "Distributed by"
- An ingredient list for anything with two or more ingredients, in descending order by weight
- A Contains statement if any ingredient is or carries one of the 9 major food allergens
- Nutrition Facts per 1/4 teaspoon, unless an exemption applies
Seasoning label requirements for the ingredient list
Most food makers may write "spices" instead of naming each one. That shortcut comes from the FD&C Act, and the Act limits it to spices used in another food: it does not apply to spices "sold as spices". So when your jar of taco seasoning or steak rub is the product, list every spice by its own name, in order by weight.
| Ingredient | On your blend's label | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cumin, oregano, black pepper, thyme | "Cumin", "oregano", "black pepper" | A blend sold as spices names each spice |
| Paprika, turmeric, saffron | By name: "paprika" | They also color food. In other foods they may be "spice and coloring"; in your blend, use the name |
| Garlic powder, onion powder, celery powder | By name, always | FDA treats these as foods, not spices. Celery seed, on the other hand, is a spice |
| Salt | "Salt" | Salt is always declared by that name |
| Monosodium glutamate | "Monosodium glutamate" | Never hidden under "spices" or "flavoring" |
| Sesame seeds | "Sesame seeds" | Sesame is a major food allergen, so it is always named and declared |
Sell the same blend in bulk to a snack maker or a sauce company and things change: on their label, your blend is an ingredient of another food, and they may declare the true spices in it as "spices". Garlic, onion, salt and allergens still get named.
Example: a Cajun seasoning blend
Our blend: 3 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp dried thyme and 1 tsp cayenne. That makes 76 g, packed in a 3 oz (85 g) jar.
Ingredients: Paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, black pepper, oregano, thyme, red pepper.
- Cayenne shows as red pepper, one of the names on FDA's spice list. "Cayenne pepper" is fine too
- Garlic powder sits in second place: 2 tbsp of it weighs about as much as 3 tbsp of paprika
- Salt is 24% of the weight, which gives 60 mg sodium (3% DV) per 1/4 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon of this blend weighs 0.7 g, so the 3 oz jar holds about 130 servings
When a spice can skip Nutrition Facts
FDA exempts foods that contain only insignificant amounts of every required nutrient: an amount that can be declared as zero, or "less than 1 gram" for carbohydrate, fiber and protein. A nutrition claim anywhere on the label or in your ads ends the exemption.
Check the numbers instead of assuming. In our tool, 1/4 teaspoon of plain ground cumin shows 0 calories, 0 g of fat, carbs and protein and 0 mg sodium. It also shows 0.3 mg iron and 10 mg potassium, but both are under 2% of the Daily Value, and FDA lets vitamins and minerals under 2% be declared as zero. So plain cumin can qualify. A blend with salt is clearly out: the Cajun example has 60 mg sodium per serving.
Other exemptions may still cover you, such as those for small businesses or packages with less than 12 square inches to print on. Our free quiz walks through them.
Serving sizes for spices, salts and seasoning mixes
| Product | FDA reference amount | On the label |
|---|---|---|
| Spices and herbs | 1/4 tsp, or 0.5 g if it can't be measured by teaspoon | 1/4 tsp (__g), or pieces for whole leaves: 1 bay leaf (__g) |
| Salt, salt substitutes, seasoning salts (garlic salt) | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp (__g) |
| Dry seasoning mixes for one dish (chili, taco, pasta salad) | Amount to make one reference amount of the final dish | __ tsp (__g) or __ tbsp (__g) |
| Seasoning pastes (garlic, ginger, curry, miso) | 1 tsp | 1 tsp (__g) |
| Seasoning oils (chili oil, sesame oil) | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp (__g) |
Salt-free, no-MSG and smoky claims
| Claim | When you may use it |
|---|---|
| "Salt free" | Only if the blend meets FDA's "sodium free" definition: less than 5 mg sodium per reference amount and per labeled serving, plus the other conditions of that rule |
| "No salt added", "unsalted" | No salt added in processing, the food it replaces is normally made with salt, and, if it isn't sodium free, the words "not a sodium free food" or "not for control of sodium in the diet" next to the Nutrition Facts |
| "No MSG", "No added MSG" | Not allowed when the blend contains ingredients with naturally free glutamate, such as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract or soy extracts |
| "Smoked", "smoky" | Artificial smoke flavor may be declared as artificial flavor, but then the label may not say or suggest that the food was smoked or has a true smoked flavor |
A nutrient claim such as salt free also ends the insignificant-nutrients and small package exemptions, so the jar needs a Nutrition Facts panel.
Irradiated spices
FDA allows irradiation of culinary herbs, seeds, spices and vegetable seasonings. A retail package of irradiated food must carry the radura logo with "Treated with radiation" or "Treated by irradiation". The rule applies to a food that was itself irradiated, not to a food that only contains an irradiated ingredient.
Buying bulk spices to repack? Check your supplier's paperwork. Irradiated food shipped to a processor or packer must be marked as treated with radiation or by irradiation, with the words "do not irradiate again", on its label and on the invoice or bill of lading. If you repack it as is, your retail jar needs the logo and statement.
Allergens in rubs and blends
Plain spices are not major allergens, and mustard is not one of the nine either. Blends are where allergens hide: sesame seeds in bagel seasoning, wheat flour or milk powder in gravy and ranch mixes, soy sauce powder in Asian-style rubs. Each one needs a Contains line or the allergen named in parentheses in the ingredient list. For tree nuts, name the nut.