Nutrition label requirements by product type

The format is the same for most foods, but the serving size, the allergens and the way you describe the product change with the category. These are the requirements that matter for small US food producers.

What every Nutrition Facts label needs

• Servings per container and serving size, in a household measure plus grams or milliliters.
• Calories, highlighted, in the sizes required by 21 CFR 101.9(d)(5).
• Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars and protein.
• Vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, with amounts and %DV.
• The % Daily Value column and the footnote: “The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”

The label also needs the statement of identity, net quantity of contents, ingredient list and allergen declaration. Those are separate from the Nutrition Facts panel, but they are part of the same label.

Serving sizes: the RACC decides

You do not choose the serving size. 21 CFR 101.12 sets a reference amount (RACC) per food category, and 21 CFR 101.9(b) converts it into the label serving. A few examples:

For discrete units, the conversion rules can produce two units, one unit or a fractional slice. A unit weighing 200%–300% of the RACC also requires a second column per unit.

By product type

Bakery and snacks

Watch the finished weight. Bread, cookies and crackers lose water in the oven, so the nutrient density of the baked product is higher than the raw dough. The serving size still comes from the RACC (50 g bread, 30 g cookies, 30 g crackers). Allergens usually include wheat, milk, eggs, soy and sometimes tree nuts or peanuts.

Sauces, condiments and dressings

RACC is usually 2 tbsp for dips and thin sauces, 1 tbsp for major condiments and 1 tsp for minor condiments. Sodium is the nutrient that moves the most. If the sauce is canned or bottled and sold at retail, it needs a full Nutrition Facts label.

Beverages

The reference amount is 360 mL (12 fl oz) for most beverages. Liquid servings are declared in fluid ounces or milliliters, with the metric equivalent. Added sugars are mandatory and are often the number that matters commercially.

Dairy and yogurt

Yogurt uses a 170 g reference amount; cottage cheese, 110 g; hard cheese, 30 g. Milk and milk substitutes use 240 mL. Allergen statements must reflect the actual formulation, including cultured dairy and any whey or casein ingredients.

Frozen and mixed dishes

Mixed dishes measurable by cup use 1 cup; those not measurable by cup (burritos, pizza, sandwiches) use 140 g, plus 55 g if covered in gravy or sauce. The ingredient list is where most of the compliance risk lives: every component needs to be declared in descending order by weight.

Cottage food and small producers

Cottage food rules are set by states, and they vary. A state exemption from a food establishment license is not automatically an exemption from FDA nutrition labeling if the product moves into retail or interstate commerce. Check your state’s cottage food law and the federal labeling requirements for your specific product before printing.

Allergens: the nine majors

US labeling recognizes milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The declaration must use the common name, and “may contain” is a separate statement about cross-contact — it is not a substitute for declaring an ingredient. An undeclared allergen is a recall, not a formatting error.

What this page is not

This is an overview for planning, not legal advice or an FDA determination. 21 CFR 101.9 contains exemptions, simplified formats and special rules that may apply to your product. When the label is going to print, have a labeling professional review it.

Related: how to build the label from a recipeand template vs. generator.