FDA Nutrition Facts format rules

The 2016 Nutrition Facts final rule changed the format — bold Calories, Added Sugars, vitamin D and potassium — with 2020 and 2021 compliance dates.

The 2016 final rule

The 2016 Nutrition Facts label final rule was the first major update to the panel in over 20 years. It reset the format that US retail packaged foods have to follow, so any panel built to the older style needs to be rebuilt.

What changed on the panel

Calories are now shown in larger, bold type and serving sizes were updated. "Added Sugars" was introduced. Vitamin D and potassium are now required and replace vitamins A and C, the Daily Values were updated, and the footnote explaining the % Daily Value was reworded.

Compliance dates

Compliance was required by January 1, 2020 for manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales, and by January 1, 2021 for smaller manufacturers. Both dates have now passed, so the updated format applies across the board.

Formats and rounding

Standard layouts include vertical (the standard), tabular and linear, and each nutrient has its own rounding rules. LabelYog lays the panel out in an accepted format, applies the correct rounding per nutrient and fits it to your trim size — LabelYog builds it from your recipe.

At a glance

• Calories in larger, bold type
• Updated serving sizes applied
• Added Sugars line included
• Vitamin D and potassium declared (not vitamins A and C)
• Updated Daily Values and reworded %DV footnote
• An accepted format — vertical, tabular or linear — with correct rounding

Questions