FDA Nutrition Facts Label Nutrient Changes Part 1

With the FDA’s final ruling, there have been a number of significant changes to nutrients on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels. These changes have been implemented into our Genesis R&D program.

Below is a short summary that covers some of the nutrient changes, including the newly required mandatory nutrients, increases in Daily Value (DV), and unit of measure changes.

For a more extensive list of nutrient changes, click here. Check out this blog post to see the summary of nutrients with increased DVs: FDA Nutrition Facts Label Nutrient Changes Part 2.

Nutrient DV Changes

Dietary Fiber is a mandatory label nutrient that has received a new definition and an increase in the DV from 25 g to 28 g.

Potassium has changed from a voluntary label nutrient to a mandatory label nutrient and the DV has increased from 3500 mg to 4700 mg.

Vitamin C has changed from a mandatory label nutrient to a voluntary label nutrient and the DV has increased from 60 mg to 90 mg.

Nutrient Unit Changes

Vitamin D was a voluntary nutrient and is now a mandatory nutrient. The new label must list the amount of Vitamin D in mcg per serving and percent DV, unless the product contains an insignificant amount (< 2% of the DV). Reporting Vitamin D in mcg is a change in units from the pre-existing label which reports Vitamin D in IU units.

Note: Vitamin D must be listed in mcg, however, Vitamin D IUs may be listed voluntarily in parenthesis as well.

Vitamin A was a mandatory nutrient and is now a voluntary label nutrient. If Vitamin A is listed on the new nutrition label it must be listed in mcg of Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE), which is a change in unit from the pre-existing label, where Vitamin A was listed in IUs.

Vitamin E is a voluntary nutrient whose label unit is changing from IU to mg of alpha-tocopherol.

Folate is a voluntary nutrient whose label unit is changing from mcg of total folate to mcg of Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE).

New Nutrients

Added Sugars has been added as a new mandatory label nutrient with a DV of 50 gm.

Choline has been added as a new voluntary nutrient with a DV of 550 mg. In the pre-existing regulations, Choline was not allowed on the Nutrition Facts panel at all.