Grocery store aisles are avenues to greater nutritional knowledge. Labels line grocery store shelves. A food that claims to be low in fat and cholesterol-free calls out to the health-conscious consumer. Food labels can be a great source of information when you are trying to make healthy choices.

        Under regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, the food labels offer more complete, useful, and accurate nutrition information than at any other time.

        Food labeling is required for most prepared items, such as breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods, snacks, desserts, drinks, etc. Nutrition labeling for raw produce (fruits and vegetables) and fish is voluntary. Although voluntary, FDA's program for raw produce and fish carries a strong incentive for retailers to participate. The program will remain voluntary only if at least 60 percent of a nationwide sample of retailers continue to provide the necessary information.

        Although certain foods might be exempt, they are free to carry nutrition information, when appropriate, as long as it complies with regulations. Foods exempt from nutrition labeling include:

        • Food served for immediate consumption, such as that served in hospital cafeterias and airplanes.

        • Food by food service vendors — such as vending machines, and sidewalk vendors.

        • Ready-to-eat food that is not for immediate consumption but is prepared primarily on site — for example fresh bakery items or food from the deli.

        • Food shipped in bulk, as long as it is not for sale in that form to consumers.

        • Medical foods, such as those used to address the nutritional needs of patients with certain diseases.

        • Plain coffee and tea, some spices, and other foods that contain no significant amounts of any nutrients.

        What's on the label? The nutrition information found on the label is designed for consumers to make healthier choices when buying packaged foods. You will find distinctive, easy-to-read formats that will enable you to more quickly find the information you need to make healthful food choices. How do you interpret the food label?

        Serving sizes are no longer up to the manufacturer. Serving sizes are standardized so that you can make nutritional comparisons of similar products. They are based on surveys of when people actually eat in 139 different product categories.

        Also included is nutritional information about amounts-per-serving of saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and other nutrients. The list of nutrients covers those most important to the health of today's consumers.

        Mandatory nutrition information include total calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. If a claim is made about any of optional components, or if a food is fortified or enriched with any of them, nutrition information for these components becomes mandatory.

        The percentage of daily value listing shows how much of each nutrient a food provides compared with how much of that nutrient is needed. These figures carry footnotes declaring that the percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Daily values replace the old U.S. recommended daily allowances.

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