Food labeling is required on many foods sold in the U. S. This is mandated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their enforcement of the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act and its amendments. But what exactly does the FDA labeling mean? Read on for some answers.

The labels are required on almost all prepared foods including cereals, breads and snacks. It also includes frozen and canned foods, drinks and dessert foods. There is currently no requirement to label fish or fresh produce such as vegetables and fruit. There are also separate labeling requirements for labeling vitamins and dietary supplements.

The FDA label is meant to inform the consumer about specific details of the food contained inside the package or container. It appears as a box-chart broken down to detail certain aspects (and nutritional values) of foods. It is titled NUTRITION FACTS and contains half a dozen categories. The first line will list the maker's recommended serving size and how many servings the package should contain.

Based on the serving size recommended, details then follow listing the number of calories and the percentage of calories derived from fat. The next line tells the total amount of fat and breaks it down into saturated and unsaturated or 'trans' fats. These numbers are presented both in the form of grams (or mg) and in the percentages found in one single serving.

Below fat content you'll see a measurement for the amounts of sodium and also cholesterol. Next comes total carbohydrates, separated into sugar and fiber. Then, underneath this is the amount of protein contained in one serving and percentages of the government's RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for the vitamins and minerals present.

As a footnote, at the bottom of the label, is an aid to help dieters. This lists the Percent Daily Values one serving of this product will supply to a person who is currently observing a 2,000 or 2,500 a daily caloric intake diet. This listing includes dietary fiber, sugar, carbohydrate, fat and cholesterol.

The Food and Drug Administration has made periodical changes to the FDA labeling system and studies and panels are ongoing to determine the best method. They're looking for an easy and simple way to inform consumers of what's really contained in a food product and it's true nutritional value. There are challenges. Sometimes companies will purposely mislabel products to make them appear different than they actually are, which is big problem for the consumer looking for truth in advertising. The FDA is cracking down on this, too. Their job is unending.