How to Create an FDA Nutrition Facts Label: A Step-by-Step Guide
By Fond Team
Creating an FDA Nutrition Facts label for your food product doesn't have to be overwhelming. Whether you're launching your first product or expanding your line, understanding the step-by-step process ensures your label meets FDA requirements and communicates clearly with consumers. This guide walks you through everything you need to know, from gathering data to finalizing your label design.
What You Need Before You Start
Before diving into label creation, gather these essential pieces of information:
- A complete ingredient list with exact percentages
- Nutritional analysis data (calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, etc.)
- The intended serving size based on Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC)
- Package weight and number of servings per container
- Any allergen information
- Fortification or nutrient addition details, if applicable
Many food brands work with a nutritionist or use software tools to analyze their formulas. If you're doing this manually, you'll need the nutritional data for each ingredient. This foundational work prevents errors and rework later.
Step 1: Determine Your Serving Size (The RACC Method)
The FDA's Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) is the starting point for serving size calculations. The RACC is a standardized amount the FDA has established for different food categories—not necessarily what consumers typically eat, but what they might eat in one sitting.
To find your RACC:
- Identify your product's category (cereal, yogurt, snack bar, beverage, etc.)
- Check the FDA's RACC list on their website
- If your product doesn't fit a standard category, use the closest match
- Adjust based on your actual product if it differs significantly
For example, a yogurt's RACC is 170 grams, while a granola bar's RACC is 30 grams. Once you know the RACC for your product, count how many of these standard servings fit in a typical use occasion.
Pro tip: Your serving size should reflect what a consumer would realistically eat at one time. If your package is larger than this, you'll need multiple servings per container.
Step 2: Gather Your Nutritional Data
You need precise nutritional information for your complete formula. This typically includes:
- Calories
- Total fat (including saturated fat and trans fat)
- Cholesterol
- Sodium
- Total carbohydrates (including dietary fiber and total sugars)
- Added sugars
- Protein
- Key vitamins and minerals (Vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium)
If you're using a food formulation tool, it calculates these values from your ingredient database. Otherwise, you can request nutritional data from ingredient suppliers or use USDA FoodData Central.
Step 3: Understand the Required Nutrients and Their Order
The FDA mandates a specific order for nutrients on the Nutrition Facts label. This order is non-negotiable:
- Serving size and servings per container
- Calories
- Total fat
- Saturated fat
- Trans fat
- Cholesterol
- Sodium
- Total carbohydrate
- Dietary fiber
- Total sugars
- Added sugars
- Protein
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
Additional micronutrients can appear below these required ones. The order and hierarchy matter—both for FDA requirements and consumer trust.
Step 4: Understand Rounding Rules
Rounding rules ensure consistency across labels. Key rules include:
- If a nutrient is less than 0.5g (or the applicable unit), you can declare it as 0g
- Calories are rounded to the nearest 10 if the product contains more than 50 calories per serving
- Percentages of Daily Value are rounded to the nearest whole percent
- Trans fat and sodium have specific rounding thresholds
Incorrect rounding can make your label inaccurate and create issues down the line.
Step 5: Choose Your Label Format
The FDA allows four formats for Nutrition Facts labels, depending on space and design preferences:
Vertical Format: The most common. Works for most packages and is the default.
Horizontal Format: Spans the width of the label. Good for narrow products like bottles.
Linear Format: A condensed, horizontal layout for small packages where space is limited.
Tabular Format: Used for multi-serving packages displayed on shelves, showing information in a table.
Choose based on your package size and design. Smaller packages may require the linear format.
Step 6: Follow Formatting Rules
FDA regulations dictate specific formatting:
- The header "Nutrition Facts" must be in a specific font and size
- A horizontal line separates the serving information from the nutrient panel
- Font size minimum is 6 points (8 points for very small packages)
- The label background and text must have sufficient contrast for readability
- All numbers must use the same typeface throughout
These aren't arbitrary—they ensure consumers can actually read and understand your label.
Step 7: Add Allergen Information
Below the nutrition facts panel, clearly list any of the "Big 8" allergens:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Wheat
- Soy
Use clear language: "Contains: Milk, Peanuts" or include it in the ingredient list with bold or caps.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Incorrect serving sizes: The most frequent error. Base this on RACC, not marketing.
Rounding mistakes: Double-check that your rounded values align with FDA rules.
Missing or inconsistent data: Ensure ingredient suppliers provide accurate nutritional information for their products.
Illegible formatting: Test your label in print at actual size before manufacturing.
Forgotten allergen declarations: Always include the Big 8, even if not prominently featured.
For deeper dives into specific mistakes, check out our guides on common nutrition label mistakes and FDA labeling requirements for 2026.
Ready to Create Your Label?
Creating an accurate Nutrition Facts label requires precision, but the process is straightforward when you follow these steps. Use a food formulation tool like Fond to automate calculations and ensure accuracy—it's much faster than manual spreadsheets and reduces errors.
If you'd like to see how Fond can simplify this process for your brand, join our waitlist to get early access and learn how thousands of food brands are streamlining their labeling workflows.