FDA Nutrient Changes on the Supplement Facts Label

With the FDA’s final label ruling (Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels), there are a number of updates affecting how to report nutrients on the Supplement Facts label.  Those of greater concern to Supplement manufacturers are the new units of measure required for some of the nutrients. This blog briefly covers those updates and also touches on the newly required nutrients and changed DVs.

Remember, for a Supplement Facts label, total calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium must be listed only when they are present in significant amounts. Other nutrients must be listed if you make a claim about them.

Changed Units

Regulations have changed the reporting unit for several label nutrients. These nutrients are listed on the label below in the required format.

• Vitamin A is now reported in mcg of Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE). This changed from IU on the previous label. For the label, you show mcg, but not RAE.
• Niacin is now reported in mg of Niacin Equivalents (NE), changed from mg of Niacin. Again, you won’t display NE on the label, just the mg.
• Vitamin D is now reported in mcg per serving. This changed from IU on the previous label. For the label, you are required to display the mcg amount and you may elect to show the IU amount in parenthesis.
• Vitamin E is now reported in mg of alpha-tocopherol, changed from IU of total Vitamin E. For the label, show mg, but not alpha-tocopherol.
• Folate is now measured in mcg of Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE), changed from mcg of total folate. For the label, you must display mcg of DFE. Additionally, you must show Folic Acid mcg in parenthesis if you make a claim about it.

We have a blog on nutrient conversions if you need more help with conversion calculations.

Changed DV Amounts

Many DVs have changed based on a review of the latest science and newer understanding of eating patterns. This section is going to go over some of the more commonly seen nutrients.

Increased DV’s

• Vitamin A increased to 900 mcg RAE from 5000 IU.
• Vitamin C increased to 90 mg from 60 mg.
• Potassium increased to 4700 mg from 3500 mg.
• Vitamin K increased to 120 mcg from 80 mcg.

Decreased DV’s

• Sodium decreased to 2300 from 2400 mg.
• Biotin decreased to 30 mcg from 300 mcg.
• Vitamin D decreased to 20 mcg from 400 IU.
• Vitamin E decreased to 15 mg alpha-toco from 30 IU.
• Thiamin decreased to 1.2 mg from 1.5 mg.
• Riboflavin decreased to 1.3 mg from 1.7 mg.
• Niacin decreased to 16 mg NE from 20 mg.
• Vitamin B6 decreased to 1.7 mg from 2 mg.
• Vitamin B12 decreased to 2.4 mcg from 6 mcg.

Newly Allowed Nutrients