Food Labeling

Food labeling is the information that appears on packaged food, such as ingredient lists, nutrition facts, allergen statements, and claims like organic or natural. This topic covers what a label must say, what a claim may mean, and how the government checks that labels are accurate. The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture share responsibility for most food labels.

People usually ask how to read a nutrition label, what terms such as natural, organic, and gluten-free actually mean, and who checks that they are true. Questions also cover how allergens are disclosed and how country-of-origin and other special labels work.