FDA Compliance Guide
Added Sugar on FDA Nutrition Labels
2016 FDA label rules for Added Sugars �?definition, declaration, % Daily Value, and how to calculate from your recipe ingredients.
Published: 2026-06-03
MOF summary: Added sugars must appear on FDA Nutrition Facts with a % Daily Value (50 g reference). They exclude naturally occurring sugars in fruit, milk, and some juices �?but include syrups, honey, and concentrated fruit used as sweeteners.
FDA Definition (Simplified)
Added sugars are sugars added during processing or packaged as such, plus:
- Free mono- and disaccharides
- Sugars from syrups and honey
- Sugars from concentrated fruit/vegetable juices when used as sweetener
Not added: lactose in plain milk, fructose in whole fruit, 100% juice (with exceptions for sweetening other products).
Label Placement
On the standard vertical panel, Added Sugars appears indented under Total Sugars, with its own %DV line.
| Nutrient | DV reference | |----------|--------------| | Added Sugars | 50 g/day |
Calculating from Recipes
- List every sweetening ingredient (granulated sugar, HFCS, honey, maple syrup, agave).
- Convert to grams of sugar equivalent using supplier specs or USDA.
- Sum per serving after batch yield and RACC division.
- Apply FDA rounding (0 g if <0.5 g per serving, etc.).
NutriSpec flags common sweeteners and separates added vs total sugars when ingredient data allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fruit concentrate always added sugar?
Only when used primarily for sweetening in products like bars or beverages �?not when the product is 100% juice labeled as such.
Do sugar alcohols count as added sugars?
No �?they are declared separately (when present) and affect Total Carbohydrate differently.
What about CFIA and EU labels?
Canada uses “Sugars�?without a separate added line in the same way. EU lists total sugars per 100 g �?rules differ by jurisdiction.
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