Federal law requires that food manufacturers place labels on most foods. The food label must provide complete, useful and accurate nutrition information. The requirement that packaged food be labeled has the effect of raising the quality of foods sold; it also gives the consumer a basis for making healthy food choices. Food labels appear in a consistent format to facilitate direct comparisons of the nutritional contents of various foods. These labels always appear on a package under the title Nutrition Facts.

These food labels supply consumers with at least the following information (in an easy-to-read format) about almost every food sold in a supermarket:

• amounts per serving of saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and other nutrients
• nutrient reference values, expressed as % Daily Values
• designations of a food's nutrient content--such as "light," "low-fat," and "high-fiber"--using a well-defined terminology
• claims about the relationship between a nutrient or...