Food
16. Appendix H: Rounding the Values According to FDA Rounding Rules
October 2009
Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide
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Contains Nonbinding Recommendations
| Nutrient | Increment Rounding | Insignificant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Calories (1) Calories from Fat (1)(ii) Calories from Saturated Fat (1)(iii) | < 5 cal - express as 0 ≤50 cal - express to nearest 5 cal increment > 50 cal - express to nearest 10 cal increment | < 5 cal |
| Total Fat (2) Saturated Fat (2)(i) Trans Fat (2)(ii) Polyunsaturated Fat (2)(iii) Monounsaturated Fat (2)(iv) | < .5 g - express as 0 < 5 g - express to nearest .5g increment ≥5 g - express to nearest 1 g increment | < .5 g |
| Cholesterol (3) | < 2 mg - express as 0 2 - 5 mg - express as "less than 5 mg" > 5 mg - express to nearest 5 mg increment | < 2 mg |
| Sodium (4) Potassium (5) | < 5 mg - express as 0 5 - 140 mg - express to nearest 5 mg increment > 140 mg - express to nearest 10 mg increment | < 5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate (6) Dietary Fiber (6)(i) Sugars (6)(ii) | < .5 g - express as 0 < 1 g - express as "Contains less than 1 g" or "less than 1 g" ≥1 g - express to nearest 1 g increment | < 1 g |
| Soluble and Insoluble Fiber; Sugars (6)(i)(A)&(B)&(6)(ii) Sugar Alcohol (6)(iii) Other Carbohydrate (6)(iv) | < .5 g - express as 0 < 1 g - express as "Contains less than 1 g" or "less than 1 g" ≥1 g - express to nearest 1 g increment | < .5 g |
| Protein (7) | < .5 g - express as 0 < 1 g - express as "Contains less than 1 g" or "less than 1 g" or to 1 g if .5 g to < 1 g ≥1 g - express to nearest 1 g increment | < 1 g |
| When declaring nutrients other than vitamins and minerals that have RDIs as a % DV (8)(iii) | express to nearest 1% DV increment | < 1% DV |
| Vitamins & Minerals (express as % DV) | < 2% of RDI may be expressed as: ≤10% of RDI - express to nearest 2% DV increment | < 2% RDI |
| Beta-Carotene (express as % DV) | ≤10% of RDI for vitamin A- express to nearest 2% DV increment > 10% - 50% of RDI for vitamin A- express to nearest 5% DV increment > 50% of RDI for vitamin A- express to nearest 10% DV increment |
To express nutrient values to the nearest 1 g increment, for amounts falling exactly halfway between two whole numbers or higher (e.g., 2.5 to 2.99 g), round up (e.g., 3 g). For amounts less than halfway between two whole numbers (e.g, 2.01 g to 2.49 g), round down (e.g., 2 g).
When rounding % DV for nutrients other than vitamins and minerals, when the % DV values fall exactly halfway between two whole numbers or higher (e.g., 2.5 to 2.99), the values round up (e.g., 3 %). For values less than halfway between two whole numbers (e.g., 2.01 to 2.49), the values round down (e.g., 2%).







