Serving Size Updates on the New Nutrition Facts Label
<< Serving Size on the New Nutrition Facts Label
Understanding Serving Sizes
Some of the requirements for serving sizes have changed on the new Nutrition Facts label. By law, serving sizes must be based on the amount of food people typically consume, rather than how much they should consume. Serving sizes have been updated to reflect the amount people typically eat and drink today. For example, based on the review of relevant information such as nationwide surveys of the amounts of foods Americans eat, the serving size for most soda products has changed from 8 fluid ounces to 12 fluid ounces.
The nutrition information listed on the Nutrition Facts label is usually based on one serving of the food; however, some containers may also have information displayed per package or per unit.
If the serving size for a food or beverage has increased, the calories and other nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts label may also increase. Similarly, if the serving size for a food or beverage has decreased, the calories and other nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts label may also decrease. As a result, it may look like the nutritional content for some food and beverage products has changed, when in fact, the ingredients of the product are the same but the serving size has changed.
The original and new Nutrition Facts labels for ice cream are shown below. On the original Nutrition Facts label, the serving size was 1/2 cup (66g), while on the new Nutrition Facts label, the serving size is 2/3 cup (88g). While it may look like the calories and nutrients in the product increased, many of these changes are actually due to the updated serving size, not a change in the product.
Reference Guide: Serving Size Changes
Here is a handy reference for all serving sizes most likely to be affected by changes to the new Nutrition Facts label.
Foods for infants and young children 1 through 3 years of age:
| Food Product | Typical Serving Size on Original Nutrition Facts Label | Typical Serving Size on New Nutrition Facts Label |
|---|---|---|
| Ready to serve dinners, strained type for infants and children 1 through 3 years of age | 60g | 110g |
| Ready to serve desserts, strained type for infants and children 1 through 3 years of age | 60g | 110g |
| Ready to serve fruits, strained type for infants and children 1 through 3 years of age | 60g | 110g |
| Ready to serve vegetables, strained type for infants and children 1 through 3 years of age | 60g | 110g |
| Ready to serve soups, strained type for infants and children 1 through 3 years of age | 60g | 110g |
General food supply (aged 4 and older):
| Food Category | Food Product | Typical Serving Size on Original Nutrition Facts Label | Typical Serving Size on New Nutrition Facts Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery products |
Bagels |
55g | 110g |
| Bakery products | Crepes | None | 110g |
| Bakery products | Crumpets | None | 55g |
| Bakery products | Dumpling wrappers | None | 20g |
| Bakery products | Eggroll wrappers | None | 20g |
| Bakery products | Muffins (excluding English muffins) | 55g | 110g |
| Bakery products | Pastry sheets (e.g., Phyllo, puff pastry sheets) (these products will be in the “Pie crust” product category) | None | The allowable declaration closest to an 8 square inch surface area |
| Bakery products | Pie crust | 1/6 of 8 inch crust or 1/8 of 9 inch crust | The allowable declaration closest to an 8 square inch surface area |
| Bakery products | Pot sticker wrappers | None | 20g |
| Bakery products | Scones | None | 55g |
| Bakery products | Toaster pastries | 55g | 110g |
| Bakery products | Wonton wrappers | None | 20g |
| Beverages | Carbonated and non-carbonated beverages | 240mL (8 fl oz.) | 360mL (12 fl oz.) |
| Beverages | Coffee flavored and sweetened | 240mL (8 fl oz.) | 360mL (12 fl oz.) |
| Beverages | Tea flavored and sweetened | 240mL (8 fl oz.) | 360mL (12 fl oz.) |
| Beverages | Water | 240mL (8 fl oz.) | 360mL (12 fl oz.) |
| Beverages | Wine coolers | 240mL (8 fl oz.) | 360mL (12 fl oz.) |
| Cereals and other grains | Breakfast cereal, ready-to-eat, weighing 20g or more, but less than 43g per cup, high fiber cereals containing 28g or more of fiber per 100g | 30g | 40g |
| Cereals and other grains | Breakfast cereal, ready-to-eat, weighting 43g or more; biscuit type | 55g | 60g |
| Dairy Products and Substitutes | Yogurt | 225g | 170g |
| Desserts | Frozen flavored and sweetened ice and pops, bulk | 85g | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Frozen flavored and sweetened ice and pops, novelties (e.g., bars, sandwiches, cones, cups) | 85g | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Frozen fruit juices, bulk | 85g | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Frozen fruit juices, novelties (e.g., bars, sandwiches, cones, cups) | 85g | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Frozen yogurt, bulk | 1/2 cup | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Ice cream, bulk | 1/2 cup | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Desserts | Sherbet, bulk | 1/2 cup | 2/3 cup – includes the volume for coatings and wafers |
| Dessert Toppings and Fillings | Cake frostings and icings | 35g | 2 tbsp |
| Egg and Egg Substitutes | Egg whites | None | Amount to make 1 large (50g) egg |
| Egg and Egg Substitutes | Sugared egg yolk | None | Amount to make 1 large (50g) egg |
| Egg and Egg Substitutes | Sugared eggs | None | Amount to make 1 large (50g) egg |
| Fish, Shellfish, Game Meats, and Meat or Poultry Substitutes | Canned fish, shell fish, or game meat | 55g | 85g |
| Fish, Shellfish, Game Meats, and Meat or Poultry Substitutes | Seafood substitutes | None | 55g |
| Fruits and Fruit Juices | Fruits used primarily as ingredients, avocado | 30g | 50g |
| Fruits and Fruit Juices | Fruits used primarily as ingredients, others (cranberries, lemon, lime) | 55g | 50g |
| Miscellaneous | Cocoa powder, carob powder, unsweetened | None | 1 tbsp. |
| Miscellaneous | Drink mixes (without alcohol): all other types (e.g., flavored syrups and powdered drink mixes) | None | Amount to make 360mL drink (without ice) |
| Miscellaneous | Milk, milk substitutes, and fruit juice concentrates (without alcohol) (e.g., drink mixers, frozen fruit juice concentrate, sweetened cocoa powder) | None | Amount to make 240mL drink (without ice) |
| Miscellaneous | Seasoning oils and seasoning sauces (e.g., coconut concentrate, sesame oil, almond oil, chili oil coconut oil, walnut oil) | None | 1 tbsp. |
| Miscellaneous | Seasoning pastes (e.g. garlic paste, ginger paste, curry paste, chili paste, miso paste), fresh or frozen | None | 1 tsp. |
| Mixed Dishes | Appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, mini mixed dishes, (e.g., mini bagel pizzas, breaded mozzarella sticks, egg rolls, dumplings, pot stickers, wontons, mini quesadillas, mini quiches, mini sandwiches, mini pizza rolls, potato skins) | None | 85g, add 35g for gravy or topping sauce |
| Sauces, Dips, Gravies and Condiments | Alfredo sauce | None | 1/4 cup |
| Soups | Dry soup mixes and bouillons | None | Amount to make 245g |
| Sugars and Sweets | After dinner confectionaries | None | 10g |
| Sugars and Sweets | All other candies | 40g | 30g |
| Sugars and Sweets | Fruit pastes and fruit chutney | None | 1 tbsp. |
| Sugars and Sweets | Liquid candies | None | 15mL |
| Sugars and Sweets | Powdered candies | None | 15g |
| Sugars and Sweets | Sugar | 4g | 8g |
| Sugars and Sweets | Syrups | 30mL for syrups used primarily as an ingredient (e.g., light or dark corn syrup); 60mL for all others | 30mL for all syrups |
| Vegetables | Dried seaweed sheets | None | 3g |
| Vegetables | Dried vegetables, dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, dried mushrooms, dried seaweed | None | 5g, add 5g for products packaged in oil |
| Vegetables | Jalapeño and other hot peppers | None | 30g |
| Vegetables | Pickled vegetables | None | 30g |
| Vegetables | Sprouts, all types: Fresh or canned | None | 1/4 cup |
Source: ‘‘Methodology used to Determine Whether to Propose to Update, Modify, or Establish the Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACCs) per Eating Occasion,’’ February 11, 2014.
www.fda.gov/NewNutritionFactsLabel