Guide
FDA food labeling requirements for packaged foods
If you sell packaged food in the United States, FDA labeling usually means a statement of identity, net quantity, an ingredients list in descending weight order, major allergen names, the manufacturer’s name and place of business, and — for most retail packages — a Nutrition Facts panel. Restaurant food plated to order is a different regime.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
If you sell packaged food in the United States, FDA labeling usually means a statement of identity, net quantity, an ingredients list in descending weight order, major allergen names, the manufacturer’s name and place of business, and — for most retail packages — a Nutrition Facts panel. Restaurant food plated to order is a different regime.
Where this shows up in a real kitchen
Most cottage bakers, meal-prep brands and specialty-food makers first meet FDA rules when they put food in a package the customer cannot inspect before buying. Open bakery cases and made-to-order sandwiches are not labeled the same way as a sealed granola pouch. USDA FSIS, not FDA, labels most meat, poultry and processed egg products. State cottage-food laws can add a home-kitchen disclaimer on top of federal rules.
The US rule
21 CFR Part 101 is the labeling part of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act framework. FALCPA (2004) and the FASTER Act (sesame, in force 1 January 2023) require the nine major food allergens to be named in plain language. Nutrition labeling lives in 21 CFR 101.9, with small-business and small-package exemptions that you must read before skipping the panel. FDA’s Food Labeling Guide is the practical walkthrough.
How to apply it
Work panel by panel: identity on the principal display panel, net quantity in the bottom 30 percent of that panel, ingredients and allergens on the information panel, Nutrition Facts in the required format. Do not invent a “Contains” line that disagrees with the ingredients list. If you also sell in the UK, do not paste a Natasha’s Law label onto a US retail pack — the allergen lists and mandatory particulars are not the same.
- Decide whether the food is FDA-packaged retail food, USDA-inspected, restaurant food, or state cottage food — the label set changes.
- Write the statement of identity and net quantity for the principal display panel.
- Build the ingredients list from today’s batch weights, then name every major allergen in plain English.
- Add Nutrition Facts unless a written exemption actually applies, plus name and place of business.
Worked example
A 12 oz pouch of maple pecan granola sold on Shopify: the front says “Maple pecan granola” and “12 oz (340 g)”. The back lists oats, maple syrup, pecan pieces, sunflower oil, salt. Wheat is not in the recipe, but the oats mill also runs wheat, so you decide separately whether a “may contain wheat” advisory is honest. Pecans are a tree nut — name them in the list and in Contains: pecan. Nutrition Facts use the FDA serving size for granola, not a serving you prefer for marketing.
Checks that belong on this pack
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Statement of identity is the common name, not a slogan | FDA expects the food to be named as the customer would look for it. |
| Net quantity uses allowed US customary units | Metric can be added; the US customary declaration is the one shoppers and inspectors look for first. |
| Ingredients run heaviest to lightest at manufacture | A marketing order that leads with honey when oats dominate is a misbranded list. |
| Nine major allergens are named, including sesame | Sesame has been a major allergen since 1 January 2023 — tahini and hummus are easy misses. |
Treating a UK PPDS label as an FDA label
A UK Natasha’s Law pack is name plus ingredients with the 14 allergens emphasised. An FDA retail pack still needs net quantity, manufacturer details and usually Nutrition Facts. Celery, mustard, lupin, molluscs and sulphites are not FALCPA major allergens. Soy is. Sesame is.
What LabelClear can and cannot print
Draft the ingredients and allergen names in LabelClear, then add the FDA panels this page lists. The generator does not print a Nutrition Facts box.
Questions
Do farmers-market jars need a full FDA retail label?
Is restaurant food exempt?
Who enforces this?
Official sources
Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.
- Food Labeling GuideU.S. Food and Drug Administration
- 21 CFR Part 101 — Food labelingeCFR / National Archives
- Food allergiesU.S. Food and Drug Administration
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