The many descriptive words on a food label cannot
be used unless they meet very specific legal requirements.
Some of the common descriptions found on
FDA-regulated foods are listed below.
-Fat-free: less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
-Low fat: no more than 3 grams or less of fat per
serving.
-Less fat: A minimum of 25% less fat than the comparison
food.
-Light (fat) A minimum of 50% less fat than the
comparison food.
-Cholesterol-free: Less than 2 mg of cholesterol and 2 g
of saturated fat per serving.
-Low cholesterol: no more than 20 mg of cholesterol
and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.
-Reduced calorie: A minimum of 25% fewer calories
than the comparison food.
-Low calorie: No more than 40 calories per serving.
-Light (calories): A minimum of one-third fewer calories
than the comparison food.
-Sugar-free: Less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving.
-Low sodium: No more than 140 mg of sodium per
serving.
-Very low sodium: No more than 35 mg of sodium per
serving.
-High fiber: 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.
-High, rich in, excellent source of: 20% or more of the
Daily Value of the nutrient.
-Good source of: 10% or more of the Daily Value of
the nutrient than the comparison food.
-Less, fewer, reduced: 25% or less of the named
nutrient than the comparison food.
The USDA also has specific requirements for
words used in labeling meat and poultry. Some of
these include:
-Certified: inspected, evaluated, graded, and approved
the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
-Free-range or free-roaming: indicates that the animals
have access to the outdoors.
-Fresh (poultry): A complicated regulation that in general
says that the raw meat has never been held at a
temperature below 26 F, although there are some
adjustments to this that allow a temperature fluctuation
of up to 2 degrees while poultry is in stores.
-Frozen (poultry): The temperature of the raw meat is
0 F or lower.
-Halal: prepared at a federally inspected meat-packing
plant that also is overseen by an Islamic authority and
meets the requirements of Islamic dietary law.
-Kosher: prepared at a federally inspectedmeat-packing
plant that also is overseen by an Rabbi and meets the
requirements of Jewish dietary law.
-Natural: containing no artificial ingredients or added
color and processed in a way that does not alter the
raw product.
-oven prepared: the item is cooked and ready to eat
without additional cooking.
-oven ready: the item is uncooked, but is ready to
cook without additional preparation.
Consumers may also see a USDA grade on the
label of cuts of beef and lamb. Pork, veal, and mutton
are also graded, but the grades are not usually shown
on store packaging. All USDA graded meat is
inspected and wholesome, but some grades are more
tender and better suit to certain cooking methods than
others.
-Prime: the highest quality and most tender and juicy
cuts, but also the most expensive. Prime cuts contain
the most fat. They make excellent steaks and roasts.
-Choice: very tender, juicy, and flavorful. This is the
most popular grade of meat sold in the United States.
-Select: very lean with less fat. These cuts are best
suited to long, moist cooking methods such as soups
and stews.
Two other lower grades of beef, standard and
commercial, are sometimes sold as ungraded ‘‘store
brand’’ meats. These cuts are wholesome and nutritious,
but tend to be tougher and dryer than the higher
grades. Utility, cutter, and canner beef, the lowest of
the eight grades, are almost never seen in stores. These
cuts of meat are used to make ground beef, hot dogs,
and other processed meat products.
