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Creating your food label is an exciting venture for the new food entrepreneur. But before you get too far, know this - there are very strict guidelines, established by the federal government, for the labeling of food products. These guidelines govern aspects of the label such as placement of the product name, order of ingredients listed, inclusion of a nutrient facts panel, and permissibility of nutrient content claims and/or health claims.
The more you know the ins and outs of labeling, the more you can utilize what is allowable on the label to market your product. For example, there are only certain “health claims” that are allowable on a label. But if your food product meets the inclusion criteria of products that may display this health claim, you have instant market appeal right on the label.
However, if you end up with something on your label that is not allowed, you will very likely have to pull that product from the shelf, toss away the rest of the unallowable labels and start over again with label design. This is a waste of important financial resources that can break a new start-up company.
It should be noted here that for all products containing more than 3% meat, pre-approval of your product label is mandatory before marketing and selling your product. For all other products, label pre-approval is voluntary. However, even for those “voluntary” products seeking pre-approval is a good idea so that you know you are not creating a label that will result in product recall at a later date.
So what is a good plan of action regarding getting started with label design? Read up on the regulations and contact the individuals at the state level who can help you through the process.
If you have questions regarding milk or egg products contact:
Todd Gahagan
MT Dept of Livestock, Milk and Egg Bureau
PO Box 202001
Helena, MT 59620-2001
Phone (406)444-7323
For information regarding poultry and any product that contains more than 3% meat contact:
Carol Olmstead
Mt Dept of Livestock, Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau
PO Box 202001
Helena, MT 59620-2001
Phone (406)444-5293
For any other food products contact:
Howard Reid, R.S.
Food, Drug and Cosmetics Program
Food and Consumer Safety Section
Montana DPHHS
1400 Broadway St, Room C214
PO Box 202951
Helena, MT 59620-2951
Phone (406)444-5306
An excellent and comprehensive guide to food labeling has been developed by the Food and Drug Administration. This guide is intended to help food producers understand the many requirements relative to food labeling. |
