The Ultimate Guide to Creating an FDA Compliant Nutrition Facts Label

For first time manufacturers, creating a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant nutrition label may seem like a daunting task.

Very often, they are so intimidated at the thought of developing a compliant food label; thereby postponing this crucial aspect of the manufacturing process.

Recipes are perfected, the packaging is ordered, and the package label is designed. But an essential element; the Nutrition Facts Label; is usually forgotten or sidelined.

Most experienced manufacturers would agree that this mistake is fairly common, and we’re here to make sure you don’t make that same error.

Having an FDA compliant food label is a critical part of any product pitch, and being well informed about the options available to create this label is crucial. To make this process easier, we’ve put together a list of simple ways by which you can attain a nutrition facts label for your product.

Weighing Your Options

Manufacturers can use several ways to attain an FDA compliant nutrition facts label. These include:

Laboratory Analysis
Independent Company/Consultant
CD-ROM Programs
Web-Based Nutrition Analysis Software

Let’s take a look at these four options, as well as their pros and cons.

Laboratory Analysis

Laboratory analysis involves preparing food samples and sending them away for testing to attain a comprehensive ingredient list.

These food testing laboratories help manufacturers comply with regulations, by analysing food products for a wealth of nutritional, mandatory and voluntary components required by the FDA and USDA for food labelling purposes. For a higher fee, these research centres develop FDA compliant nutrition facts labels for manufacturers.

While food laboratories provide accurate results, the cost, the hassle and the wait time are all high. Analysis of a single food product can cost as much as $800, so for a manufacturer with multiple products, this option would not be viable.

It is also essential to keep in mind that each time the product is tweaked, the sample will have to be sent to the food laboratory for further analysis.

The process of preparing, packaging and shipping food samples is also time-consuming. It can also take up to a month to receive results and ready food labels from the lab. As a general rule, food laboratories only have to be used if products are deep-fried or heavily processed.

Independent Company/Consultant

For manufacturers that do not want to conduct the nutrition analysis themselves, having an independent consultant or nutritionist to create a nutrition facts label is a fairly common yet expensive choice. Generally, this costs several hundred dollars per recipe.

While many companies keep the information they receive confidential, for first-time manufacturers to hand their recipes over to stranger companies can be nerve-wracking.

Again, in case of recipe alterations, a fee of around $100 has to be paid. Additional charges are usually applied when specific claims are made (e.g. when nutrient content claims it qualifies for low fat).

CD-ROM Programs

A CD-ROM containing nutrition facts label templates is an affordable choice to create this label internally. Most food manufacturers may be familiar with this technique. But sometimes, they can be complex to navigate and limited in several ways.

Firstly, the program must be installed on a computer, and the software must be compatible with it.
There is a considerable risk of losing confidential product information in case the computer crashes, is lost or stolen.
Additionally, if the FDA nutritional guidelines are updated, newer versions of the program will have to be purchased, making it a short term investment.

Web-Based Nutrition Analysis Software

Of all options, the quickest and most efficient way to create a nutrition facts label is by using an FDA compliant online software. FDA compliant online software is cheap, costing less than industry standards per recipe. Allergen statements, nutrient content claims and several layouts of the label are usually included in this.

These web-based databases have access to thousands of pre-analysed ingredients. If an ingredient isn’t in the database, it can be added easily. Certain types of online software, like ReciPal.com and LabelCalc.com, also come with expert consulting, ensuring experts create your nutrition facts panel for you.

Given a limited budget and time constraints; a web-based nutrition analysis software is the most affordable way to attain a nutrition facts label.

The steps are given below, from start to finish:

Go to one of the websites mentioned above.
Create an account with a username and secure password.
Sign in to the account, enter your product recipe and serving size.
The software will generate your FDA-compliant nutrition facts label, allergen statements and any qualifying nutrient content claims.
Modify your ingredient list, amounts, serving size, label layout. If there are multiple variations of the same product, the duplicate function can be used to create new recipes to alter.

Once you have created and saved your recipe, click Label Display. Your initial label will look something like this:

After you are satisfied with your label, download and print it out.

Depending on the complexity of the product, this process should take an hour or two. Once users are familiar with it, creating a nutrition facts label can take as little as 5 minutes.

While creating a nutrition facts label may seem complicated, the right web-based nutritional analysis and label generator can work wonders, making the process relatively simple.

At Enovate Biolife, our ingredients and dietary supplements are 100% US FDA-GCP compliant clinical studies published in international Journals.

We supply scientifically proven ingredients that are unparalleled to the market. Our customers are constantly provided with an array of products that boost stamina and improve overall health.

To learn more about the products we offer, email us at info@enovatebiolife.com