EU to US nutrition label conversion means rebuilding the panel from new data, with a different basis for the numbers and a different set of required nutrients. A translator and a currency tool cannot do it. The EU lists values per 100 g or 100 ml, and the US panel is built around a serving size that FDA rules help set.
This is the fourth item on the Compliance & Labeling list in our EU to US Expansion Checklist: reformat nutrition and ingredient labeling for US requirements. This post compares the two formats and lists what to rebuild before a label or product page goes live.
How does EU nutrition labeling under Regulation 1169/2011 differ from the US Nutrition Facts panel?
For EU to US nutrition label conversion, the two formats differ in the basis for the numbers, the nutrients listed, the allergen list, and the type rules. The table summarizes them side by side. The EU column draws on the Your Europe guidance (opens in new tab) and the consolidated regulation (opens in new tab), and the US column draws on FDA sources.
| Element | EU (Regulation 1169/2011) | US (FDA Nutrition Facts) |
|---|---|---|
| Basis for values | Per 100 g or per 100 ml, with per-portion values optional | Per serving, with serving size set from the amount people typically eat, plus per-package columns on some larger packs |
| Required nutrients | Energy (kJ and kcal), fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, salt | Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, added sugars, and actual amounts of vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, among others |
| Salt or sodium | Salt, defined as sodium multiplied by 2.5 | Sodium |
| Added sugars | Not in the mandatory list | Required, in grams and as a percent Daily Value |
| Daily Value | Not part of the mandatory list | Percent Daily Value shown for nutrients |
| Allergens | 14 categories, set apart in the ingredient list by typeset | Nine major allergens, including sesame since January 1, 2023 |
| Minimum type | 1.2 mm x-height, or 0.9 mm on packs under 80 cm² | Information panel text at least 1/16 inch, based on the lowercase "o" |
Our EU to US Expansion Guide makes the same point in short form. An EU nutrition panel built under Regulation 1169/2011 does not carry over to the US.
Why can't EU to US nutrition label conversion be a translation job?
Because the numbers themselves change. A per-100 g value has to be recalculated for a US serving, and the serving size is not yours to choose freely. FDA's reference amounts customarily consumed, set in 21 CFR 101.12 (opens in new tab), are the basis for serving sizes in each product category.
The label then states that serving as a household measure followed by grams, such as "1 cup (227g)" in FDA's example (opens in new tab). Larger packages may add a second column so shoppers see values per serving and per package. A hypothetical bar with 12 g of fat per 100 g and a 30 g US serving would show 3.6 g of fat before rounding, and a labeling specialist should apply FDA's rules for how values are stated.
New data points follow. The US panel requires added sugars, while the EU list asks only for sugars. It also requires actual amounts of vitamin D and potassium, and it keeps trans fat where the EU list shows saturates. FDA's label guidance (opens in new tab) notes that "Calories" and serving size appear in larger type, and that calories from fat and the vitamin A and C requirements were dropped.
For many brands, that means new recipe data or lab analysis. Ask your formulation team and lab early, since a panel cannot be finished until the numbers exist.
What else on the label has to change besides the panel?
Several required statements follow US rules. FDA's Food Labeling Guide (opens in new tab) covers them, and the main points follow.
Printed labels must show net contents in both metric and US customary units, placed in the bottom 30 percent of the principal display panel. Ingredients appear in descending order of predominance by weight. The manufacturer, packer, or distributor is named, with a qualifying phrase unless it is the actual manufacturer.
For imports, the country of origin statement must be conspicuous. If a foreign language appears on the label, all required statements must appear in both English and that language.
Allergens deserve their own check in any EU to US nutrition label conversion. The US list has nine major allergens, and sesame has been on it since January 1, 2023 (opens in new tab). The EU list has 14 categories, and several of them, such as celery, mustard, lupin, and molluscs, do not appear on the US list. Ask a specialist whether and how those need to be declared, and use either the parenthetical method or a "Contains" statement for the US nine.
Supplements use a separate Supplement Facts panel, which this post does not cover. Nutrient claims such as "high protein" are a separate rule set, covered in our post on US marketing claims standards.
Can a small brand skip the Nutrition Facts panel?
Possibly, but check before you assume. FDA's small business nutrition labeling exemption (opens in new tab) applies to a company with fewer than an average of 100 full-time equivalent employees that sells fewer than 100,000 units of the product in the US in 12 months. A company using it has to file a notice every year.
Products that carry nutrient claims do not qualify. FDA's page does not say whether the exemption applies to foreign or imported food, so ask a regulatory specialist before building your plan on it.
What is coming for front-of-pack labels?
FDA proposed a front-of-package "Nutrition Info box" in January 2025. It would show whether a food is low, medium, or high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. A May 2026 status summary (opens in new tab) reported no final rule yet, and it said most food makers would have three years after a final rule takes effect to comply.
Plan the back-of-pack panel for your EU to US nutrition label conversion now, and leave room on the front. Check FDA's current status before you print.
What does EU to US nutrition label conversion involve step by step?
Work through five steps, with your labeling specialist or lab involved from the first.
Step 1: Find your US serving size
Match each product to its FDA reference amount category and set the household measure and gram weight. Decide early whether larger packs need a per-package column.
Step 2: Recalculate and fill the data gaps
Convert per-100 g values to per-serving values, and generate the added sugars, trans fat, vitamin D, and potassium data the EU panel did not require. Confirm how each value is rounded and stated.
Step 3: Rebuild the panel layout
Build the Nutrition Facts panel to FDA's format and type rules, and keep the EU panel out of the artwork. Check small packs separately, since space limits change the layout.
Step 4: Rebuild the other required statements
Redo the ingredient list order, allergen statement, net quantity in both unit systems, name and address with qualifying phrase, and the country of origin line. Check any foreign-language text against the English-plus-foreign-language rule.
Step 5: Update the product page and get sign-off
Match the nutrition details, claims, and allergen information on your product page to the new label, using our post on US product page localization. Then have a regulatory specialist review the artwork before it goes to print. Our post on FDA and FTC requirements for EU brands covers the wider federal picture.
Frequently asked questions
How does EU nutrition labeling under Regulation 1169/2011 differ from the US Nutrition Facts panel?
The EU declares energy and seven nutrients, including salt, per 100 g or 100 ml. The US panel is built around a serving size, lists added sugars and actual amounts of vitamin D and potassium, and uses a different allergen list. EU to US nutrition label conversion therefore needs new calculations and new data.
Can I put a US Nutrition Facts panel next to the EU one?
During EU to US nutrition label conversion, avoid mixing the two. If any foreign language appears on a US label, all required statements must appear in both English and that language, and a second panel adds risk of conflicting numbers. Ask a specialist how to handle dual-market packaging.
Do I need to add sesame to my allergen statement?
Sesame has been the ninth major US allergen since January 1, 2023, so a product that contains sesame must declare it. Check every ingredient and sub-ingredient, since sesame can arrive inside another ingredient.
Is there a small business exemption from US nutrition labeling?
FDA has a low-volume exemption for companies with fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees that sell fewer than 100,000 units of a product in the US in 12 months, with an annual notice. Products with nutrient claims do not qualify, and FDA's page does not say whether it covers foreign food, so ask a specialist.
What should you do next?
Download the EU to US Expansion Checklist (opens in new tab) and work through the Compliance & Labeling list, including the nutrition labeling item. Then read the compliance section of the EU to US Expansion Guide to plan your EU to US nutrition label conversion.
This post is general information and does not replace regulatory or legal advice. Have a labeling specialist confirm the details for each product before you print.
