Food Label Analysis

I’m studying for my Health & Medical class and need an explanation.

What are Food Labels?

Food Labels are the “best source of consumer information”. 90% of ALL processed and packaged foods must have a “consumer friendly” label. The new nutrition label (1994) features more consistent serving sizes and must include the following dietary components:

Total calories

Total fat content

Cholesterol

Fat grams

Sodium

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calories

Amount of saturated fats

Protein grams

Carbohydrate grams

Dietary fiber

Iron

Calcium

The food exempt from food labeling regulations are those with no appreciable amount of nutrients OR whose content varies from batch to batch, such as:

Deli and bakery items

Plain and unflavored teas and coffees

Various spices and flavorings

Food sold in restaurants

Labels are “voluntary” for fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, poultry, or fish

The nutrition label (chart) must display serving size, nutrients per serving and % of daily values. The nutrition information applies to one serving; if you ate two servings, you consumed twice the amount of calories and other nutrients listed on the label.

The rest of the information is in the document.