<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://q.quora.com/_/ad/b20db0d9ec224ca9ade49b26500b826e/pixel?tag=ViewContent&amp;noscript=1">
7 FDA Changes Coming to Your Nutrition Facts Label in 2020

Last updated: March-29,2022

7 FDA Changes Coming to Your Nutrition Facts Label In 2020 - Key Changes

I know what you're thinking: "Oh boy! New FDA nutrition facts regulations. I get to change all of my dietary supplement labels!"

Well, if you're a masochist then that's what you're thinking. For the rest of us it's more like a resigned and collective groan. But there's no use complaining (too much). The only thing to be done for it is to get on the stick and make the required changes. After all there are deadlines involved.

FDA Deadlines for Changing Your Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label

A compliance date of January 1, 2020 was set for manufacturers with more than $10 million in food/supplement sales, and January 1, 2021, for manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food/supplement sales. 

What Was Removed from the Nutrition Facts Label?

Let's now take a look at the 7 FDA nutrition facts label changes from 2020 you need to know about.

Serving Size

The law states that serving sizes must be based on the amounts of foods and beverages that people are actually consuming, not what they should be consuming. Since the amount people eat and drink has changed since the previous serving size requirements were published in 1993, changes need to be made to the nutrition facts label

Package size also affects what people eat and how much they eat. Packages that are between one and two servings, for example; a 20-ounce soda or a 15-ounce can of soup, the calories and other nutrients need to be labeled as one serving because these products are usually consumed in one sitting.

Dual Serving Size Label

According to the FDA supplement label requirement, 2020 products that are larger than a single serving but are sometimes consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings require manufacturers to provide “dual column” labels to indicate the number of calories and nutrients on both a “per serving” and “per package”/“per unit” basis.

If, heretofore, any of the nutrition facts (NF) or supplement facts (SF) on your labels included the declaration of “Calories from fat”, you can remove them. It is no longer required or allowed.

Added Sugars

A new requirement is changing “Sugars” to “Total Sugars” and including a declaration of the gram (g) amount of “added sugars” in a serving of a product, along with a percent Daily Value (DV) declaration for added sugars. The declaration should be “Includes ‘X’ g Added Sugars”, indented and declared directly below “Total Sugars”. Also, maltodextrin now counts as a sugar under the new FDA regulations.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber should be one indent under Total Carbohydrates. It should be noted that prebiotics (such as FOS) can no longer be counted as dietary fiber. In fact, dietary fibers are now defined as being from one of the following: beta-glucan, psyllium husk, cellulose, guar gum, pectin, locust bean gum, or HPMC.

New Daily Values

The new regulations come complete with updated daily values (DVs). In addition, some of the units of measurement are also different. Vitamin A, D and E are no longer measured in IUs, but are now measured in mcg RAE, mcg and mg, respectively. Also, choline now has a DV. Here is a comparison of the old and new:

Nutrient Old Daily Value New Daily Value
Fat 65 g 78 g
Total Carbohydrate 300 g 275 g
Sodium 2400 mg 2300 mg
Dietary Fiber 25 g 28 g
Added Sugar n/a 50 g
Protein 50 g 50 g
Vitamin A 5000 IU 900 mcg RAE
Vitamin C 60 mg 90 mg
Calcium 1000 mg 1300 mg
Vitamin D 400 IU 20 mcg
Vitamin E 30 IU 15 mg
Vitamin K 80 mcg 120 mcg
Thiamin 1.5 mg 1.2 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg 1.3 mg
Niacin 20 mg 16 mg NE
Vitamin B6 2 mg 1.7 mg
Folate 400 mcg 400 mcg DFE
Vitamin B12 6 mcg 2.4 mcg
Biotin 300 mcg 30 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 10 mg 5 mg
Phosphorous 1000 mg 1250 mg
Magnesium 400 mg 420 mg
Zinc 15 mg 11 mg
Selenium 70 mcg 55 mcg
Copper 2 mg 0.9 mg
Manganese 2 mg 2.3 mg
Chromium 120 mcg 35 mcg
Molybdenum 75 mcg 45 mcg
Chloride 3400 mg 2300 mg
Potassium 3500 mg 4700 mg
Choline n/a 550 mg

"Calories" in the Nutrition Facts Box

The line item for declaration of calories in the Nutrition Facts box needs to appear two font sizes larger than the other line items. However, this does not need to be done for calories in the Supplement Facts box.

Footnote Reference Values

Previously, a footnote table was required in the Nutrition Facts box, listing the reference values (‘Daily Values’) for certain nutrients for 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets. This is no longer required and can be removed.

What Does the New Nutrition Facts Label Look Like?

Here's an example of what the new nutrition facts label should look like, as per the FDA's website:

fda-changes-to-nutrition-facts-label-2020

Are There More Nutritional Supplement Label Changes?

Of course, there are more FDA label changes, but these are the highlights. If you work with a qualified and experienced supplement contract manufacturer, like NutraScience Labs, they can help assure that you make all the necessary label changes to be compliant with the new regulations.

To learn more about how the FDA regulates the dietary supplement industry, watch this podcast that I recorded with our Vice President of Sales, Blayney McEneaney:


For more information about how we can help you create a high-quality dietary supplement with an FDA-compliant nutrition supplement label, call (855) 492-7388 to speak to one of our knowledgeable representatives or send us your request to receive a free nutraceutical manufacturing price quote.

November 8th, 2019

About the Author:

 
Gene Bruno

Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH(AHG) - Mr. Bruno possesses over 43 years of dietary supplement industry experience. With a Master's degree in nutrition and a second Master's degree in herbal medicine, he has a proven track record of formulating innovative, evidence-based dietary supplements. Mr. Bruno currently serves as both the Senior Director of Product Innovation at Twinlab Corporation and Professor of Nutraceutical Science at Huntington University of Health Sciences.