To provide consumers with all of the information they need to know about a food product, thorough labeling is crucial. Every consumer has different needs, whether it be medical conditions or dietary preferences, so labeling is heavily regulated by federal agencies so consumers are able to make informed choices about the food they consume.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are the primary regulators responsible for enforcing the accuracy of nutrition claims. The FDA is in charge of most packaged foods, while the USDA more specifically regulates meat, poultry, and egg products. For a product to make a nutrition claim, it must align with criteria established by the FDA or USDA and be based on scientific proof. It is required that the company verifies the accuracy of their claims before labeling is able to make its way to stores, undergoing testing of their products in certified laboratories.
Nutritional claims are key details on agricultural labels, providing detailed information about the calories, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. To maintain standardization and encourage transparency among producers, regulation states that packaged foods must display a "Nutrition Facts" panel. This will also include a recommended serving size, providing consumers with a form of portion control which reflects typical consumption patterns and helps them interpret the data.
The level of regulation can vary depending on the type of nutrition claims made. If a product claims to be high in a particular nutrient or connects the contents of a nutrient to health claims, the producer must have evidence of these claims being accurate. Many agricultural labels include claims such as "low fat" and if this is the case, a disclaimer must be printed on the packaging to state that the claim refers to a comparison of the regular version of the product. Disclaimers are heavily enforced to ensure that consumers are able to understand the true nutritional value of a product and are not falling for misleading claims.
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