Food Labeling
Overview
Governmental intervention in food labeling typically aims at improving human health and safety, supporting domestic agricultural and food manufacturing industries, and averting international trade disputes. Pursuant to the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act and its amendments, food labeling addresses nutritional information and is required for most prepared foods, such as breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods, snacks, desserts, drinks, etc., whereas nutrition labeling for raw produce (fruits and vegetables) and fish is voluntary. Read the full overview
Note: Resources are listed alphabetically.
Major Statutes
Agricultural Marketing Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1621-1638
Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1385
Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1451-1461
Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education & Research (Faster) Act, 21 U.S.C. § 321(qq)(1)
Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. §§ 201-219a
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301-399
Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, 21 U.S.C § 343(w)
Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 606-695
Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, 21 U.S.C. § 343(q)
Poultry and Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 451-472
Regulations
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment
Food Additives, 21 C.F.R. Parts 170-199
Food for Human Consumption, 21 C.F.R. Parts 100-190
Rule implementing the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, 16 C.F.R. Parts 500-503
General FDA Dietary Supplement Regulations, 21 C.F.R. Part 190
General Regulations for the Enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 C.F.R. Parts 1-99
General Regulations for the Food Safety and Inspection Service, 9 C.F.R. Parts 300-381
Inspection of Fish, 9 C.F.R. 530-561
Inspection of Eggs, 9 C.F.R. 590-592
Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, 9 C.F.R. 412-500
National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, 7 CFR 66
Case Law
Case Law Index for Food Labeling
Administrative Law Decisions
FDA Dockets Management
Federal Trade Commission Actions
USDA Office of the Administrative Law Judges
USDA National Appeals Division
USDA Judicial Officer’s Decisions
Center Research Publications
The Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Caracciolo; 2022)
Issue Brief: The Regulation of Cell-Cultured Meat (Rollins, Rumley 2019)
Definition of “Beer” in terms of ABV or ABW, by State (Alexander & Pittman, 2018)
Plant Based “Milk” Labeling (Barker, Rumley, 2018)
Issue Brief: Petition for Policy Change in FSIS’ “Product of U.S.A.” Label (Lizano, Rumley)
Cattle Traceability: Potential Legal Implications (Rumley & Dowell)
State-Specific Direct Marketing Business Guides (National AgLaw Center & U. IL @Urbana)
Food Labeling for Specialty Crop Producers (E. Rumley, 2012)
Non-GMO Labeling (E. and R. Rumley, 2012)
Legal and Business Guide for Specialty Crop Producers (National AgLaw Center & U. AR Division of Agriculture, 2011)
State-Level Catfish Labeling Laws (Springsteen, 2008)
United States Food Law Update II (Roberts, 2006)
United States Food Law Update (Roberts & Alsbrook, 2005)
European Union Food Law Update II (Coutrelis, 2006)
European Union Food Law Update (Coutrelis, 2005)
Congressional Research Service Reports
Reports– published and made available by CRS beginning in 2017
Subjects- published by CRS and made available by NALC until 2018:
Biotechnology
Animal Agriculture
Food Safety
Agricultural Law Bibliography
Introduction | Keyword Search | Browse Categories
Legal publications on Food Labeling:
Biotechnology
Food and Drug Law
Fruits and Vegetables – Perishable Agricultural Commodities
Pesticides, Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides, Fertilizers
Reference Resources
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
Bioengineered Disclosure
Grades and Standards
Selling Food to USDA
Labeling Organic Products
Check the Label and Bring it to the Table-USDA Grade Labels Explained
Understanding Food Quality Labels
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) Registry Database
Getting Started in the Beer Industry
Getting Started in the Distilled Spirits Industry
Getting Started in the Wine Industry
Labeling Procedures
Labeling Resources
Labeling Organic Wine
Labeling Organic Malt Beverages
Malt Beverage Labeling: Mandatory Label Information
Wine Labeling: Checklist of Mandatory Label Information
Labeling Organic Distilled Spirits
Wine Labeling
Major Food Allergen Labeling for Wines, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages
Wine Labeling: Overview of Labeling Requirements for Imported Wines
Wine Labeling: Overview of Labeling Requirements for Domestic Wines
Distilled Spirits Labeling
Economic Research Service (ERS)
Food Labeling
The Economics of Food Labeling
Consumer Information and Labeling
Prevalence of the “Natural” Label Varies by Food Category
Do Food Labels Make a Difference?…Sometimes
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Dietary Supplements: An Advertising Guide for Industry
Fair Packaging and Labeling Act
FTC Health Claims
Government warns sellers of edible cannabis: Stop using packaging that mimics foods popular with kids
Complying with the Made in USA Standard
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA Finalizes Updates “Healthy” Nutrient Content Claim
Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling
Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling
Guidance on Labeling of Foods that Need Refrigeration by Consumers
Have Food Allergies? Read the Label
Use of the Term Natural on Food Labeling
Gluten and Food Labeling
Gluten Free Labeling of Foods
Nutrition, Food Labeling, and Critical Foods
Food Labeling; Gluten-Free Labeling of Fermented or Hydrolyzed Foods Regulatory Impact Analysis
Food Labeling: Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending
Organic on Food Labels
Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
FDA Proposes to Update Definition for “Healthy” Claim on Food Labels
Summary: Food Labeling: Calorie Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending (Final Rule)
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
Center for Veterinary Medicine: Pet Foods
CFSAN Consumer Behavior Research
Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
Draft Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Labeling Indicating Whether Foods Have or Have Not Been Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants
Food Ingredients & Packaging
Food Labeling & Nutrition
Food Labeling Guide
Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide
Label Claims for Food & Dietary Supplements
Qualified Health Claims
Small Business Nutrition Labeling Exemption
Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide
Guidance for Industry: Evidence-Based Review System for the Scientific Evaluation of Health Claims
Labeling & Nutrition Guidance Documents & Regulatory Information
Interactive Nutition Facts Label
Food Allergens/Gluten-Free Guidance Documents & Regulatory Information
Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
Labeling 101
Uniform Compliance Date for Food Labeling Regulations (2022)
USDA Revises Guidance on Date Labeling to Reduce Food Waste
FSIS Labeling Overview and Generic Label Approval
Nutrition Facts Label Compliance
Generic Label Approval
Guideline on Kit Labeling
Safe Handling Label Text
Natural Flavorings on Meat and Poultry Labels
Meat Poultry Labeling Terms
Label Submission Checklist
Labeling and Establishment Responsibilities
Label Application Guidance
Food Product Dating
FSIS Guideline for Label Approval
Comprehensive List of Reasons for Label Modifications and Returns
A Guide to Federal Food Labeling Requirements for Meat, Poultry and Egg Products (2007)
Claims Guidance
Compliance Guideline for Label Approval 2020
Ingredients Guidance
Label Submission and Approval System
Labeling & Label Approval
Other Federal Resources
Child Nutrition Labeling
National Agricultural Library Food and Nutrition Information Center (NAL)
Food Labeling Topic Page (NAL)
What’s In The Foods You Eat Search Tool (Agricultural Research Service)
FDA Needs to Better Leverage Resources, Improve Oversight, and Effectively Use Available Data to Help Consumers Select Healthy Foods (GAO-08-597)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Marketplace Assessment – Metric Labeling on Packages in Retail Stores
Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book
International Resources
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Innovations in Food Labelling
Nutrition and Labelling
Codex Committee on Food Labelling
General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods
Food Labelling
Nutrition
Ecolabelling and Fisheries Guidelines
Labeling to Communicate
World Health Organization (WHO)
Implementing nutrition labelling policies: a review of contextual factors
Guiding principles and framework manual for front-of-pack labelling for promoting healthy diets
Nutrition Labelling: Policy Brief
Nutrition Labeling
Front-of-Package Labeling
Food Safety
Nutrition
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Thematic Session on Food Labelling
Trade and Food Standards
Nutrition labelling: A policy measure for promoting healthy diets
Dispute Settlement Gateway
Geographical Indications
TRIPS Agreement
WTO Publications
Regulation Concerning the Traceability and Labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms
Labelling & Nutrition
Consumers
Ag & Food Law Update
Food Labeling
Food and Drug Administration
Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Publications
USDA Releases Updated Guideline to Strengthen Substantiation of Animal-Raising and Environmental Related Claims on Meat and Poultry Labels (USDA, 2024)
USDA Finalizes Voluntary “Product of USA” Label Claim to Enhance Consumer Protection (USDA, 2024)
Undeclared Allergens on Food Labels (Georgia Extension 2024)
Labeling | Cottage Foods (Illinois Extension)
Label Date Marks: Quality or Food Safety? (PennState Extension 2024)
Food For Profit: Food Labels (PennState Extension 2023)
Clean Labeling and the Real Food Movement (Georgia Extension 2023)
Common Labels and Certifications Used to Market Sustainable Agriculture Products (Georgia Extension 2023)
Food Companies Face Heightened Scrutiny Over Labels (FindLaw 2021)
Food and Consumer Packaged Goods Litigation 2023 Year in Review
Food and Consumer Packaged Goods Litigation 2022 Year in Review
Food and Consumer Packaged Goods Litigation 2021 Year in Review
Getting Started with Labeling Dairy Foods: The Basics of Dairy Food Labeling (PennState Extension 2021)
Food & Consumer Packaged Goods Litigation 2020 Year in Review
Agricultural and Food Law – Food Labeling and Biotechnology – The Food Fight over Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods and a Natural Solution to Protect Agricultural Biotechnology in the Natural State (Branscum 2017)
GMO Litigation (Laney, 2016)
Economics of Food Labeling (Golan et al. 2001)
Food Labeling: Toward National Uniformity (National Academies Press, 1992)
Additional Resources
Food and Drug Law Institute
U.S. Food Waste Policy Finder
UPC Codes