Nutrition Labeling Project
100 points (25% of final grade)
The purpose of this project is to orient students to the regulations governing food and nutrition labeling in the United States. Each student will be required to locate a product for sale in the market today to examine the labeling attributes and describe the programs and policies that determine regulatory compliance for the label. To compete this project, you will need to read and understand FDA’s Food Label Guide – this is an 80 page regulatory guidance document that will take about 2-3 hours to read. Your assignment should be submitted as a word document, numbered in accordance with the following parts and question numbers:
What you will need:
– Ruler or tape measure
– Camera phone
– Food product label
Part 1: Locate and Identify the Product (10 points)
1. Locate a product for sale in the marketplace – this should be one that generally represents your interest group and that has a nutrition facts panel (see part 4). Pease describe how the product relates to your interest group.
2. Which agency (UDSA or FDA) regulates this product? How do you know?
3. Take photos of each panel of the label (e.g., top, bottom, front, back, and sides) – make sure all text is visible and legible in your photo
a. Submit photos to blackboard prior to 11:59pm EST on Thursday, March 10, 2021
b. Include all photos in your final report
Part 2: PDP Elements (30 points)
1. What is a ‘PDP’?
2. Determine which part of the label is the PDP – how do you know? Are there alternate PDPs?
3. What is the surface area of the PDP – show your work
4. What are the following attributes on the PDP of this label?
a. Brand name:
b. Statement of Identity:
c. Net Weight:
5. Based on the surface area, how large should the text for the net weight declaration be?
a. Does the Net Weight type size comply with requirement?
6. What is the requirement for type size and prominence of the statement of identity?
a. Does the Statement of Identity type size comply with requirement?
Part 3: Information Panel Elements (20 points)
1. Where is the information panel of the label? How do you know?
2. Locate and extract the following attributes:
a. Ingredient Statement
b. Manufacturers Address
3. Does your product contain any of the major food allergens? How do you know?
4. What is the minimum type size required for the list of ingredients?
a. Is the List of Ingredients in compliance to this requirement?
5. Pick one of the following and tell me how you know if it is present or absent from the product based on the ingredient statement: chemical preservative, color, or natural flavor? Use examples wherever possible.
Part 4: Nutrition Compliance (30 points)
1. What’s the RACC? How do you know?
2. Choose one of the following nutrients: total fat, fiber, or protein.
a. Determine if the percent daily value is correct using Appendix F – show your work
b. Determine if the value for the nutrient is rounded correctly using Appendix H – how do you know?
3. Check the calories of the product using your Atwater coefficients (fat = 9kcal/g, carbs = 4kcal/g, protein = 4kcal/g) – show your work and explain.
Part 5: Claims (20 points)
1. Choose one of the following and tell me how you know if it is present or absent on the label: nutrient content claim, health claim, qualified health claim? Use examples wherever possible.
2. Does the food qualify for the nutrient content claim “healthy”? How do you know – show your work
3. Put yourself in the shoes of your interest group to respond to the following:
a. What nutrients in this product would you like to tell consumers about (“positive” or “beneficial” nutrients)? Why?
b. What nutrients in this product would you like to hide from consumers (“negative” nutrients or “nutrients to limit”) ? Why?
c. Give an example of a nutrient content claim that this product can make – how do you know?
Resources:
– FDA Food Labeling & Nutrition website https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition
– FDA Food Labeling Guide https://www.fda.gov/media/81606/download
– Types of Claims https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/label-claims-conventional-foods-and-dietary-supplements
– Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 101 Food Labeling https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2008-title21-vol2/xml/CFR-2008-title21-vol2-part101.xml
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