UGA Cooperative Extension

Food Science Extension Outreach Program:
Nutritional Facts Panel, Product Classification, Process Approval, & Other Services

Nutrition Facts Panel for Your Food Product Label

The federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires that packaged foods bear the nutrition facts panel unless the producer qualifies for an exemption. A small business may be exempt from displaying the Nutrition Facts Panel if: (1) the annual gross sales of food to consumers is less than $50,000, (2) it has fewer than 100 employees, and (3) sales of fewer than 100,000 units per year.
Note: If any nutrient content claim (e.g., "low fat") or health claim is made on the labeling or advertising of the product, the small business exemption is not applicable. 
      Keep in mind, however, that wholesale buyers may require that the nutrition facts panel be on the product label. Also, if you are getting a large number of your food product labels printed, it will save time and money to design the label with the nutrition facts panel in place.
      A separate nutrition facts panel is required for each size of container or package. The EFS specialists will provide a nutrition facts panel in digital format ready to put into your label for a nominal fee.

For businesses within the state of Georgia, click here for details. 
Out-of-state fees for a nutrition facts panel are available here.

Product Classification, Process Approval, pH and Brix Testing

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) requires that certain types of food items offered for sale within the State of Georgia have a letter of process approval from a certified food process authority.
     The process authority carefully examines the recipe for the item, the methods used to prepare, package and store the item, and the food safety precautions required to produce a safe product. Once the process is approved, a letter of process approval is sent to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Then GDA will send a letter of process certification for the product to you.
     Some food product categories may be exempt from the process approval requirement because of the method of processing or certain critical limits as required by are met.  For  guidelines for food processing safety from GDA, click here.
     The UGA EFS specialists offer product classification and process approval services to Georgia food businesses for a nominal fee.

Click here if you plan to process and package the food product yourself in a facility that has been licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. 

If you will be using a private label co-packer that is certified by GDA to prepare and package your product, click here.

For a list of certified Georgia food product co-packers, click here.

Better Process Control School

The Better Process Control School provides instruction which fulfills the FDA and USDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirements to certify supervisors of acidification, thermal processing, and container closure evaluation operations during the canning of low-acid or acidified foods. Companies which manufacture low-acid or acidified foods must operate with a certified supervisor on the premises when processing as specified in FDA’s 21 CFR Part 108.25(f) and 108.35(g) or in USDA’s 9 CFR 318.200 and 281.300. The UGA Better Process Control School is typically offered in March each year. Please refer to our News & Events for more information.

Other Better Process Control Schools are held around the country at various times during the year - click here for a list.

 

Directions & Map to EFS Offices
NOTE: we do not have public parking available at the EFS office at this time! Please park in the South Campus parking deck beside the Georgia Center off Lumpkin Street and walk over to the Food Science Building.  The UGA Orbit bus route runs beside the Food Science Building on Cedar Street.

Click here for FREE registration on an interactive website that links producers of Georgia food products with consumers.

Flavor of Georgia Food Product Competition

EFS co-sponsors this annual food product competition along with the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development at UGA. Click here to see last year's winners and winning products.