Most packaged foods sold in the United States need a Nutrition Facts label. The rules live in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 101, mainly section 101.9. The current design has been required since 2020 for larger manufacturers and since 2021 for smaller ones.
A compliant label lists the serving size and servings per container. It then gives calories and the amounts of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, and protein. It also shows vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Most of those lines also show a percent Daily Value (%DV), which tells shoppers how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day.
Serving sizes aren't up to you. They're based on FDA's Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACCs), which reflect how much people actually eat. That's why a 20-ounce soda is now labeled as one serving.
The format matters as much as the numbers. FDA sets minimum type sizes, bold headings, rule lines, and the order of nutrients. It also allows several layouts so the label fits your package:
- Standard vertical for most packages
- Simplified when most nutrients are zero
- Dual-column for packages that could be eaten in one or two sittings
- Tabular and linear for small packages
- Special formats for foods made for infants and children 1–3 years old
Some businesses don't need a label at all. Very small retailers, low-volume products, and foods sold in restaurants can be exempt, but only if the label and marketing make no nutrition claims. Saying "low fat" or "high protein," even on social media, usually means you need the full panel.
Our label maker handles the layout for you. You bring accurate nutrient values from a lab or a database. We arrange them in the right FDA format, and you can preview every version for free before you pay $4 for the print-ready PDF.
Want the details? Read our full guide to FDA nutrition label requirements.
