# Nutrition Fact



**BetterMenu models Nutrition Facts according to FDA labeling standards. Each Nutrition Fact record captures a nutrient's name, measurement unit, amount, and % Daily Value. The platform supports both packaged food labels (full nutrient panel) and restaurant menu disclosures (calorie-only).**

What information does a Nutrition Fact contain? [#what-information-does-a-nutrition-fact-contain]

A Nutrition Fact is a structured record about a single nutrient present in a food item. Each record includes four core fields: **Name** (the nutrient identifier, e.g., "Sodium"), **Measurement Unit** (grams, milligrams, micrograms, or international units), **Amount** (the quantity of the nutrient), and **% Daily Value** (the percentage of the FDA-recommended daily intake based on a 2,000-calorie diet). Some nutrients do not carry a % Daily Value — in those cases the field is absent rather than zero.

The term **Nutrition Facts** (plural) refers to the complete list of individual Nutrition Fact records associated with a food item.

How does serving size anchor all nutrition values? [#how-does-serving-size-anchor-all-nutrition-values]

Serving size is the reference unit for every nutrient amount and % Daily Value on a Nutrition Facts label. All nutrient quantities reported on the label correspond to one serving, not to the entire package. A consumer eating two servings doubles every reported nutrient amount and calorie figure. This relationship between serving size and reported values is fundamental: a food with a very small declared serving size can appear low in calories or sodium while delivering significantly higher totals per realistic consumption. BetterMenu stores serving size as a first-class label field alongside servings per container, enabling the platform to calculate per-package totals, support recipe scaling, and surface accurate nutrient totals when a dish uses a non-standard portion. Serving size definitions and their relationship to "Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed" (RACC) are governed in the United States by [21 CFR 101.9(b)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(b\)) and [21 CFR 101.12](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.12).

What nutrients are mandatory on a US Nutrition Facts label? [#what-nutrients-are-mandatory-on-a-us-nutrition-facts-label]

United States federal regulations specify which nutrients must appear on every packaged food Nutrition Facts panel. Under [21 CFR 101.9(c)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(c\)), mandatory nutrients include:

* **Calories** — total energy per serving
* **Total Fat** — with mandatory sub-declarations of Saturated Fat and Trans Fat
* **Cholesterol**
* **Sodium**
* **Total Carbohydrate** — with mandatory sub-declarations of Dietary Fiber and Total Sugars; Added Sugars became mandatory under the 2016 label rule
* **Protein**
* **Vitamin D** — added as mandatory in 2016; replaces the previously required Vitamins A and C
* **Calcium**
* **Iron**
* **Potassium** — added as mandatory in 2016

Voluntary nutrients — such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and other B vitamins — may be declared at the manufacturer's discretion or when a nutrient content claim is made about them. BetterMenu distinguishes mandatory and voluntary nutrients at the data model level, enabling label compliance validation during product formulation workflows.

What is % Daily Value and how is it calculated? [#what-is--daily-value-and-how-is-it-calculated]

% Daily Value (% DV) expresses how much of the daily recommended amount of a nutrient is provided by one serving of a food. The FDA establishes Daily Values using a 2,000-calorie reference diet. For each nutrient, the % DV is calculated by dividing the amount per serving by the established Daily Value for that nutrient and expressing the result as a percentage. For example, if a serving contains 460 mg of sodium and the Daily Value for sodium is 2,300 mg, the % DV is 20%. The FDA guidance characterizes 5% DV or less as "low" and 20% DV or more as "high" for any given nutrient. % Daily Value is defined and governed by [21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)–(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(c\)\(7\)) and the Daily Values themselves are codified at [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(c\)\(8\)\(iv\)). Trans Fat and Total Sugars have no established % DV and therefore appear without a percentage on compliant labels.

What changed in the 2016 FDA Nutrition Facts label refresh? [#what-changed-in-the-2016-fda-nutrition-facts-label-refresh]

The FDA finalized a significant update to the Nutrition Facts label format in May 2016, with large manufacturers required to comply by January 1, 2020, and smaller manufacturers by January 1, 2021. The 2016 rule, published under [21 CFR 101.9](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9), introduced several substantive changes:

* **Calorie type size increased**: The calorie declaration uses a larger, bolder typeface to improve consumer visibility.
* **Added Sugars declared separately**: A new mandatory line item for Added Sugars, listed in grams and as % DV, distinguishes sugars added during processing from naturally occurring sugars.
* **Updated Daily Values**: Daily Values for sodium, dietary fiber, and several other nutrients were revised to align with current nutrition science.
* **Vitamin D and Potassium replace Vitamins A and C**: Public health priorities shifted; Vitamin D and Potassium deficiencies are more prevalent concerns in the current US population.
* **Serving sizes updated to reflect actual consumption**: Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) were revised upward for many categories to reflect realistic portion sizes observed in consumption surveys.
* **Dual-column format for certain package sizes**: A new dual-column format was introduced for packages containing 200%–300% of a single RACC (see section below).

These changes directly affect BetterMenu's data model. The platform stores both the declared nutrient value and its regulatory basis year where relevant, ensuring historical label data remains accurate alongside current-standard labels.

What is the dual-column Nutrition Facts format? [#what-is-the-dual-column-nutrition-facts-format]

The 2016 label rule introduced a mandatory dual-column format for packages that contain between 200% and 300% of the Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC) for a product category. In a dual-column label, one column presents nutrient amounts per serving while the second column presents amounts per entire package. This format addresses a documented consumer behavior: individuals frequently consume the entire contents of packages in these size ranges in a single eating occasion. For example, a 20 fl oz bottle of a beverage with a RACC of 8 fl oz would require the dual-column format because the package contains 250% of the RACC. The requirement is codified in [21 CFR 101.9(d)(13)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(d\)\(13\)). BetterMenu supports per-serving and per-container nutrient storage, enabling manufacturers and R\&D teams to generate both columns during label review workflows.

What additional data appears on packaged food Nutrition Facts labels? [#what-additional-data-appears-on-packaged-food-nutrition-facts-labels]

Packaged food Nutrition Facts panels include fields beyond the per-nutrient records. BetterMenu captures these additional fields at the label level:

* **Serving Size**: The standardized portion used as the basis for all nutrient amounts, typically expressed in grams (g), milliliters (mL), or common household measures.
* **Servings Per Container**: The total number of servings in the package, enabling per-package nutrient calculations.
* **Allergen Information**: A declaration of [allergens](./allergen) present in the food, required under [FALCPA](https://www.fda.gov/industry/fda-basics-industry/where-do-allergen-labeling-requirements-federal-food-drug-and-cosmetic-act-fdc-act-come) for the nine major allergens.
* **Ingredients**: An ordered list of ingredients by descending weight. This list differs from a [recipe](./recipe) in that it does not include ingredient quantities.

What Nutrition Facts are required on restaurant menus? [#what-nutrition-facts-are-required-on-restaurant-menus]

Restaurant menu disclosures are more limited than packaged food labels. [FDA regulations](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/menu-labeling-requirements) require chain restaurants with 20 or more US locations to display **Calorie** information on menus and menu boards ([21 CFR 101.11](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.11)). Detailed per-nutrient Nutrition Facts panels are not required for restaurant menus under current federal rules. BetterMenu represents this distinction by storing a calorie-only disclosure type for menu items, separate from the full Nutrition Facts panel used for packaged foods. Consumer demand and state-level regulations are expanding restaurant disclosure requirements beyond the federal minimum.

How does jurisdiction affect Nutrition Facts requirements? [#how-does-jurisdiction-affect-nutrition-facts-requirements]

The Nutrition Facts label as defined under 21 CFR 101.9 is a United States regulatory construct. Other jurisdictions use structurally similar but distinct frameworks:

* **United States (FDA)**: Mandatory panel governed by [21 CFR 101.9](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9), with nutrients, formats, and Daily Values defined by federal regulation.
* **United Kingdom (FSA)**: Nutrition declaration requirements are set out in the UK Food Information Regulation (Retained EU Law). The UK label uses "Reference Intakes" (RI) rather than % Daily Value, with reference values established by the Food Standards Agency.
* **European Union (EFSA/EU FIR)**: The EU Food Information Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, and salt declarations per 100 g or 100 mL. Portion-based % RI declarations are voluntary.

BetterMenu models the nutrient data layer as jurisdiction-agnostic — nutrient name, amount, and unit are stored independently of any labeling jurisdiction — while applying jurisdiction-specific % DV or % RI calculations at display time. This separation allows the same underlying product data to generate compliant label output for US, UK, and EU markets.

Where can I find official Nutrition Facts label resources? [#where-can-i-find-official-nutrition-facts-label-resources]

* [FDA - How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label)
* [21 CFR 101.9 - Nutrition Labeling of Food](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9)
* [21 CFR 101.9(b) - Serving Size Declaration](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(b\))
* [21 CFR 101.9(c) - Mandatory Nutrients](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(c\))
* [21 CFR 101.9(d)(13) - Dual-Column Format](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9#p-101.9\(d\)\(13\))
* [21 CFR 101.12 - Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.12)
* [FDA - Daily Value on Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels)
* [FDA - Menu Labeling Requirements](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/menu-labeling-requirements)
* [21 CFR 101.11 - Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Covered Establishments](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.11)
* [FALCPA - Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004](https://www.fda.gov/industry/fda-basics-industry/where-do-allergen-labeling-requirements-federal-food-drug-and-cosmetic-act-fdc-act-come)