# US Nutrition Facts labels (FDA)

> The FDA's Nutrition Facts label has a precise, regulated format — column widths, type sizes, and updated nutrients. Here is what US-bound products need.

Canonical: https://fcos.cloud/nutrition-labels/usa
Last updated: 2026-06-16
Market: United States
Regulation: 21 CFR 101.9
Label format in FCOS: USA

- Required panel structure
- Ingredient and allergen context
- Review before export
- PDF handoff for printers

## What this label needs before it goes on pack.

This guide is written for product, operations, QA, and regulatory teams who need the practical shape of a United States nutrition label.

### The FDA format, updated

US nutrition labelling lives in **21 CFR 101.9**, with the **2016 updated Nutrition Facts format** now standard. The label declares per serving:

- **Calories** (large, bold — a signature of the new format)
- **Total fat**, saturated fat, **trans fat**
- **Cholesterol** and **sodium**
- **Total carbohydrate**, dietary fiber, total sugars and **added sugars** (with %DV)
- **Protein**
- **Vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium** (the updated mandatory micronutrients)

**Serving sizes** follow FDA's Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) and must reflect what people actually eat. Dual-column labels apply to packages that can be consumed in one or multiple sittings.

### Format is not optional

The Nutrition Facts panel has prescribed typography and layout — hairlines, bold rules, point sizes, indents. Retailers and reviewers notice when it's off. That is exactly the kind of detail a label tool should get right for you.

### How FCOS helps

Select **USA** as a market in FCOS and the label builder produces a US-style Nutrition Facts output from your product's structured nutrition data, ready for team review and PDF export.

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*This overview is general guidance, not legal advice. Final compliance always depends on your product and jurisdiction — confirm requirements with your regulatory counsel.*

## From product data to a reviewed United States label.

1. **Create the product record**: Enter ingredients, nutrition values, serving details, and the markets the SKU will sell in.
2. **Generate the market view**: FCOS uses the same product data to shape the label around the selected market format.
3. **Review, approve, export**: Keep reviewers in the loop, then export the approved label PDF for your team or partner.

## The difference between a label file and a label system.

- **The market changes, but the product record stays the same.** Add United States as a market target without copying values into another spreadsheet or rebuilding the SKU from scratch.
- **Review happens before the PDF leaves.** Editors prepare the label, reviewers approve the version, and the exported file reflects the version that passed review.
- **Retailer and co-packer handoff gets cleaner.** Share a shelf-ready PDF generated from structured product data instead of screenshots, emails, or disconnected drafts.

## Today vs. with FCOS

| Work | Today | With FCOS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Market data | Kept in docs, emails, or spreadsheets | United States sits on the product record |
| Review state | Hard to know which file is approved | Approval state stays with the label version |
| Export | Screenshots and manually assembled PDFs | PDF export comes from structured data |
| Multi-market work | Copy data into each format | Reuse one product record across markets |

## Frequently asked questions

### Which regulation defines the US Nutrition Facts label?

21 CFR 101.9 (FDA), using the updated format finalized in 2016 — larger calories, added sugars, and vitamin D/potassium as mandatory micronutrients.

### Is added sugars labelling mandatory in the US?

Yes. The updated Nutrition Facts label must declare added sugars in grams and as a percent Daily Value.

### How are US serving sizes determined?

By FDA Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC). Serving sizes must reflect amounts people customarily consume, not recommended portions.

### Can FCOS generate a US-format label?

Yes. Pick USA as a market and FCOS generates a US-style Nutrition Facts output you can review and export as a PDF.

## Related

- [EU nutrition declarations (Regulation 1169/2011)](https://fcos.cloud/nutrition-labels/europe) (Europe (EU))
- [Nutrition Information Panels for Australia (FSANZ)](https://fcos.cloud/nutrition-labels/australia) (Australia & New Zealand)
- [FSSAI nutrition labels for India](https://fcos.cloud/nutrition-labels/india-fssai) (India (FSSAI))
- [Nutrition labels by market](https://fcos.cloud/nutrition-labels)
- [Free label builder](https://fcos.cloud/free-experience)