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Volume 15, Number 6 - June 2015

Greetings from Food Label News! This month we tackle two of the most complex issues for food labelers. Read the lead article to understand what you need to know about naming your product. Tell us what challenges you face in the Food Label Community and we'll join your conversation. Interested in another element of the food label? Peruse the Reader Q&A to learn about the intricacies of including a percent daily value for protein on your Nutrition Facts. All the best to you.

In this issue you'll find:

 

"Thank you, you are awesome!!!"

– Claudia Vasquez
La Madeleine de Corps, Inc.

What's in a Name? How to Choose the Correct Product Identity.

What's News in the Food Label Community

Reader Q&A: % Daily Value for Protein

 

Karen C. Duester, President


What's in a Name? How to Choose the Correct Product Identity

It seems obvious to name a product, but all too often it is not. As food labelers, we must provide consumers with a complete description of what they are buying as well as comply with all applicable regulatory requirements.

Reader Favorites

Navigating the Waters of Net Contents

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An understanding of statement of Product Identity is critical to ensure that your product is not mislabeled. For example, is the specific cheese item you are labeling a cheese, cheese spread, or pasteurized process cheese? Does it meet one of the 70+ standards of identity found in 21 CFR 133 – Cheeses and Related Cheese Products?

The place to start is to determine whether a food is standardized (has a standard of identity) or is non-standard and requires another type of name. Below are the types of product names and examples of each to guide your understanding.

Standard – The name of a standardized food is "Swiss Cheese" and 21 CFR 133.195 contains the standard of identity for Swiss Cheese. The product must meet those requirements in order to be identified as "Swiss Cheese" on the label.

Common or Usual Name – When no standard exists, a common or usual name is used. For example, the CFR does not contain a standard of identity for cookies, therefore the common name "Cookies" is used on the label.

Descriptive Term – When no standard or common/usual name exists, the product name must be appropriately descriptive. An example is "Mexican-style Bean Dip".

Fanciful Name – When no standard or common/usual name exists and the public commonly knows the product, a fanciful name is used on the label. An example is "Marshmallows".

Once you determine the correct Product Identity, the next step is to determine how it needs to appear on the label. The regulations specify that the Product Identity must be on the principle display panel in bold type, in a size reasonably related to the most prominent printed matter on the panel (generally considered to be half of the largest type size), and in lines generally parallel to the base of the package.


What's News in the Food Label Community

Protein and amino acid nutrition analysis (6+ comments and 7+ comments)

USDA announcement on GMO Labeling (5+ comments)

Moisture loss from baking in nutrition analysis (12+ comments)

USDA Seal graphic requirements (5+ comments)

Accuracy of ingredient labeling (23+ comments)

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Reader Q&A

Find answers to our readers' questions or send us your question for an upcoming issue.

Q.

If Protein is listed at 5g on the Nutrition Facts Panel and the Daily Value (DV) for Protein is 50g, why is the %DV less than 10%? Isn't 5g equal to 10% DV?  
M.G., Minnesota, Consultant 

A.

The percentages vary because calculating %DV for protein is not a simple mathematical calculation. Rather, it is the actual amount of protein per serving multiplied by the amino acid score corrected for protein digestibility, known as Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). The resulting PDCAAS value is then divided by the 50g DV to determine the %DV for the Nutrition Facts Panel. Read more.


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