The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (NLEA) permits the use of label claims that characterize the level of a nutrient in a food (i.e., nutrient content claims) if they have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are made consistent with FDA’s authorizing regulations.
Nutrient content claims describe the level of a nutrient in the product, using terms such as “free,” “high” and “low,” or they compare the level of a nutrient in a food to that of another food, using terms such as “more,” “reduced” and “lite.” Per FDA, the requirements that govern the use of nutrient content claims help ensure that descriptive terms, such as high or low, are used consistently for all types of food products and are meaningful to consumers.
“Percentage claims” for dietary supplements are another category of nutrient content claims used to describe the percentage level of a dietary ingredient in a dietary supplement. These percentage claims may refer to dietary ingredients for which there is no established Daily Value — provided the claim is accompanied by a statement of the amount of the dietary ingredient per serving. According to FDA, examples include simple percentage statements such as “40% omega-3 fatty acids, 10 mg per capsule,” and comparative percentage claims, such as “twice the omega-3 fatty acids per capsule (80 mg) as in 100 mg of menhaden oil (40 mg).”
Sources
- “Label claims for conventional foods and dietary supplements” (FDA resource)
- “A Food Labeling Guide: Guidance for Industry” (FDA resource)
- 21 CFR § 101.13 (“Nutrient content claims — general principles”)