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11 Common Words with Very Specific Meanings on Food Labels

The Food and Drug Administration knows from experience that if terms are not strictly defined, manufacturers will push the boundaries of regulations as far as they can. That's why commonsense words that everyone sort of knows are defined with utmost precision when it comes to food labeling. Surprisingly, this doesn't always mean the standards for food are all that strict. Just strictly-defined. For example, the word "free":

If it’s free of fat, or sugar, or salt, it doesn’t mean that not one trace of those things is to be found in it. The FDA evaluates certain terms with reference to a typical portion size known as an RACC (reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion). An RACC of eggnog, for example, is ½ cup. For croutons, it’s 7 grams, and for scrambled eggs, 100 grams. To be labeled “free” of calories, the food must have less than 5 per RACC. For fat and sugar, less than .5 grams. For sodium, less than 5 milligrams. Also, the food must somehow be processed to be “free” of those things in order to get the simple “free” label. You can’t have “fat free lettuce,” only “lettuce, a fat free food.”

Other words defined are "light," "natural," and "more," among others. Learn what those really mean in your food at mental_floss. Link

(Image credit: Flickr user Enokson)


Comments (4)

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Newest 4 Comments

"Gluten Free" allows up to 20 parts per million of gluten. To those of us whose sensitivity precludes any gluten whatsoever it is of no value. I prefer the term "No Gluten", which applies to things like apples, oranges, potatoes, rice, nuts, etc.

The funny thing is how they use the term "Natural Flavors" to hide their 20 ppm of gluten. You know there is a bean counter whose company makes a million pounds of product insisting on adding twenty pounds of wheat because "it helps the bottom line and is completely legal".

Anything that says "Made in a facility that also processes wheat" is unsuitable.

The fact that they are trying doesn't mean they are succeeding.
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My wife has issues with blood pressure and so watches her sodium. She bought a no salt ketchup which does have only 5 mg of Sodium. And 170 mg of Potassium. So salt must only mean table salt or sodium.
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Its a 'Candle Winder'. At least that's what it was sold as, discreetly from underneath counter at the local dry goods and feed store. Those crazy victorians and their pre electric battery sex toys.

Don't Blink -Med Grey t shirt (Daughter just discovered Dr. Who)
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Remember the tabletop game from our youth, Battling Tops ™? Well, it turns out that the original wasn’t a game. The original was a Ninja weapon called a “Topei Shinjuru” (戦争ヨーヨー)(literally “War YoYo”). This is a seventeenth century (Norris Dynasty) Samurai Shinjuru launcher.

Big Minion Theory, Ladies Cut Large
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It's the original prototype Sonic Screwdriver; it was called the Sonic SCREWDRIVER because of the flathead at the end of this; those prongs are from an attempt to turn the screwdriver into a batarang-like grappling hook. The wire was the source of power for the screwdriver; the Doctors do need exercise occasionally.

And all of you copycats who are reading that will use this response, back off! This answer's mine!

LIFE T-Shirt, Black L
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A prototype Newton Meter - you know, the weight meters that you put an object on, and it drags it down a certain number of Newtons?
First, you take off the (removable) side sticking out, and put the thing you're measuring on a rope/string that is hooked in, replacing the part you took off to clamp it in place. Then, you drag the wheel like part to the zipper-end, and grab the zipper, and lift it up, so that gravity pulls down the wheel a certain number of grooves. That's the weight.

Pandemic T-Shirt, Black L
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