The FDA provides guidelines about the claims and descriptions manufacturers may use in food labeling to promote their products:
| Claim |
Requirements that must
be met
before using the claim in food labeling |
|
| Fat-Free |
Less
than 0.5 grams of fat per serving, with no added fat or oil |
|
| Low fat |
3 grams
or less of fat per serving |
|
| Less fat |
25% or
less fat than the comparison food |
|
| Saturated Fat Free |
Less
than 0.5 grams of saturated fat and 0.5 grams of trans-fatty acids per
serving |
|
| Cholesterol-Free |
Less
than 2 mg cholesterol per serving, and 2 grams or less saturated fat per
serving |
|
| Low Cholesterol |
20 mg
or less cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less saturated fat per serving |
|
| Reduced Calorie |
At
least 25% fewer calories per serving than the comparison food |
|
| Low Calorie |
40
calories or less per serving |
|
| Extra Lean |
Less
than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per
(100 gram) serving of meat, poultry or seafood |
|
| Lean |
Less
than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 g of saturated fat, and 95 mg of cholesterol per
(100 gram) serving of meat, poultry or seafood |
|
| Light (fat) |
50% or
less of the fat than in the comparison food (ex: 50% less fat than our
regular cheese) |
|
| Light (calories) |
1/3
fewer calories than the comparison food |
|
| High-Fiber |
5 grams
or more fiber per serving |
|
| Sugar-Free |
Less
than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving |
|
| Sodium-Free or
Salt-Free |
Less
than 5 mg of sodium per serving |
|
| Low Sodium |
140 mg
or less per serving |
|
| Very Low Sodium |
35 mg
or less per serving |
|
| Healthy |
A food
low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and contains at least 10%
of the Daily Values for vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein or
fiber. |
|
"High",
"Rich in"
or "Excellent Source" |
20% or
more of the Daily Value for a given nutrient per serving |
|
"Less",
"Fewer
or "Reduced" |
At
least 25% less of a given nutrient or calories than the comparison food |
|
"Low",
"Little", "Few",
or "Low Source of" |
An
amount that would allow frequent consumption of the food without exceeding
the Daily Value for the nutrient – but can only make the claim as it
applies to all similar foods |
|
"Good Source
Of", "More",
or "Added" |
The
food provides 10% more of the Daily Value for a given nutrient than the
comparison food |
