What Does Fat Free Really Mean?
To bear the label fat-free a product must contain less than .5 grams of fat per reference amount customarily consumed. [RACC]
More Info: In order for a product label to carry a ‘free' or ‘low' nutrient content claim the product must have been specially processed, altered, formulated, or reformulated to lower or remove the nutrient from the food may bear the nutrient content claim on the label. A food that is naturally fat free or low in a nutrient, for example fat or salt, may not use this nutrient content claim on the label.
How Label Claims Work
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the entity that sets guidelines for food safety and proper labeling. Under their jurisdiction, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) requires that foods sold in the US must bear labels that those labels that make nutrient content claims or bear health messages follow specific guidelines.
What Is a Nutrient Content Claim?
A nutrient content claim is an indication on a food label that characterizes the level of the nutrient contained in a food. "High in fiber" or a "good source of calcium" are common nutrient content claims. The FDA sets forth very specific guidelines as to what amount of a substance must be present in a food source to use the nutrient content claim.
Good source: The food must contain between 10-19% of the daily value of the claim.
High: The food must contain at least 20% of the daily value of the claim.
If a nutrient content claim is not listed in the FDA guidelines it cannot be used on a label.
U S Food and Drug Administration Food Labeling Guidehttp://www.fda.gov
U S Food and Drug Administration Label Claim Guidelineshttp://www.fda.gov
"What Does Fat Free Really Mean?." Sophisticated Edge. N.p., n.d. Web. . <http://www.sophisticatededge.com/what-does-fat-free-mean-technically.html>.
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