FDA Compliance Guide
Which Foods Are Exempt From Nutrition Labeling?
FDA exemptions for nutrition labels: small businesses, retail bakery, farmers markets, custom orders, and foods with insignificant nutrient content. 590/mo search intent guide.
Published: 2026-06-03
Quick answer: Not every food sold in the U.S. needs a Nutrition Facts panel. FDA exempts small businesses under revenue thresholds, unpackaged retail bakery items, custom one-off orders, certain spices and coffee, and foods where nutrients are present in insignificant amounts — but most packaged CPG products still require labels.
Who needs a nutrition label?
If you sell packaged food across state lines (interstate commerce), FDA generally requires a Nutrition Facts label unless a specific exemption applies.
Common FDA exemptions
| Exemption | Who qualifies | |-----------|----------------| | Small business | Low-volume producers meeting FDA annual sales thresholds (see our small-business guide) | | Retail bakery / deli | Items prepared and sold on-site, not for interstate shipping | | Custom orders | Made-to-order for a specific customer, not pre-packaged for retail | | Insignificant nutrient content | Spices, coffee, tea, flavor extracts with negligible nutrition | | Fresh produce / single-ingredient meat | Often covered by USDA or exempt from FDA panel format | | Food service | Restaurant menus — different rules (menu labeling for chains 20+ locations) |
What is NOT exempt
- Packaged snacks, beverages, supplements, or meal kits sold online nationwide
- Co-packed or private-label products for retail shelves
- Foods making nutrient content claims ("high protein", "low sodium")
How to stay compliant
- Confirm whether your product is interstate commerce.
- Check if small-business exemption applies before skipping the panel.
- If not exempt, generate labels from your recipe with NutriSpec instead of hand-typing numbers.
Small business exemption guide → · FDA label generator →
FAQ
Do farmers market vendors need nutrition labels?
Often no for on-site sales of whole foods or baked goods sold unpackaged — but packaged items with barcodes usually yes.
Does selling on Etsy require labels?
If you ship packaged food across state lines, treat it like any other CPG brand — labels are typically required.
Need a compliant nutrition label?
Generate FDA, CFIA, EU, and GB 28050 labels from your recipe in seconds. Free to start.
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