Volume 13, Number
12 - December 2013
Happy Holidays from Food Label News!
'Tis the season to enjoy friends, family and co-workers. In
between holiday festivities, review a comparison of important
nutrition labeling nuances between U.S. and Mexico, and read the second installment of the
series on package claims. This month we also showcase a
reader Q&A on nutrition facts layout options.
It's this time of year that we wish our fellow food labelers
well and thank you for your continued support of Food
Consulting Company. It is our pleasure to be your virtual
food label department and look forward to even more
discussions with you in the Food Label Community on
LinkedIn. Grab a glass of egg nog and join us!
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Nuances in Nutrition Labeling:
U.S. vs. Mexico
Understanding how nutrition label requirements vary is key
to creating compliant products for sale across the border.
While it may be possible to create a unified U.S./Mexico
label for some products, most often marketers prefer to have
a separate, less cluttered label for each country.
Here are some highlights of the differences between
nutrition label requirements in U.S. vs. Mexico:
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There are several elements
required on a U.S. Nutrition Facts that are not
required for Mexico: Servings Per Container,
Calories from Fat, Trans Fat, Cholesterol,
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron. In
addition, the % Daily Value column and the Daily
Values (DV) footnote are not required in Mexico. |
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U.S. requires use of English, Mexico requires
Spanish. An English/Spanish label is permissible
in both countries. |
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In Mexico, nutrient values are generally
reported per 100g or 100 mL basis, whereas in
U.S. these values are reported per FDA Serving
Size. |
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In Mexico, vitamins and minerals are generally
listed only when 5% or more and the order for
all nutrients can be slightly different. |
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In Mexico, Energy is declared as kJ/kcal,
instead of Calories as in the U.S. |
• |
In U.S., Fiber is included in the Total
Carbohydrate value, whereas it is not included
in this value for Mexican labels. |
See a
side-by-side comparison of Nutrition Facts graphics
for U.S. and Mexico, part of an article we prepared for
Food Chemical News earlier this year.
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What's News in the
Food Label Community
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Landmark FDA action on trans fats from
partially hydrogenated oils |
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USDA issues Final Rule to expand generic
label approval |
• |
FDA Final Rules for restaurant & vending machine
nutrition labeling... still "coming soon" |
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Calorie calculation for sugar alcohols
and fiber |
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Manufacturing a "natural" product |
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Food grade packaging and testing requirements |
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Connect with
other food labelers on LinkedIn |
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Reader Favorites
Combo U.S./Mexico Labels |
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Search answers
to food label questions |
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Each country’s regulatory body establishes the reference
amounts to be used in nutrition labeling. Because this is a country-specific
process, reference amounts for nutrients vary around the world. See a
quick, detailed overview of required and allowable nutrients for nutrition
labeling and their established reference amounts in U.S., Canada, Mexico, and
EU. |
Package Claims: U.S. and Canada - Part 2 of 8
Nutrient Content Claims for U.S.
This month's installment in our 8-part series overviews
U.S. nutrient content claims. This series is designed to
help food labelers become familiar with what claims and
label statements are allowable and how to position a
product’s nutritional attributes to achieve marketing
objectives.
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U.S. nutrient content claims describe directly
or by implication the level of a nutrient or
dietary substance in a serving. Consult the
guide for information about the differences
between absolute, relative, and implied nutrient
content claims and how they differ from
statements of fact. Access one of our most
useful sections with examples and explanations
for how to create allowable marketing messages
by using statements of fact instead of defined nutrient content claims. |
View/print
Part 2 of the series.
If you missed
Part 1 of the series you can view and download it
now. The print-ready pages form all parts of the series
will add up the complete regulatory guide for U.S. and
Canadian package claims.
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Reader Q&A
Find
answers to our readers'
questions or send us
your question for an
upcoming issue.
Q. |
Can I choose to use either a tabular/horizontal or
linear Nutrition Facts panel instead of the standard
panel due to space availability on a particular product?
Does FDA have any terms or conditions for using this?
− L.S.,
California, Private-label Foods
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A. |
Yes. FDA allows for flexibility in presentation of the
Nutrition Facts based on package size. If the
standard/vertical layout does not fit and/or the package
has less than 40 square inches of total space available
for labeling, there is a hierarchy of options you may
consider.
Read more. |
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What matters in food labeling
Food Label News,
now in its 14th year, is a monthly e-newsletter reaching
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welcome your colleagues to subscribe for news and insights
about food labels:
www.foodlabels.com/subscribe
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Your virtual
food label partner
Food Consulting Company,
founded in 1993, provides nutrition analysis, food labeling,
and regulatory support for more than 1,500 clients worldwide.
Our
guarantee: 100% regulatory compliance.
Contact us
for the help you need now.
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© 2013. Food Consulting Company, Del Mar, CA. All rights reserved.
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