Labeling Requirements and Options

Product labels used for cider must provide information in a standardized format.

Required Labeling Information
1. Food name
Cider may be used as the product name on the label only if the product is made solely from apples. If the cider is made from two or more fruits, its food name must identify which fruits were used in order of their dominance by weight. For example, if the product is made of 60 percent fresh apple juice and 40 percent pear juice, the name would be Apple Pear Cider. If the juice is made solely of pears, the name would be Pear Cider. If the cider does not contain a preservative or is not pasteurized, the product would be labeled Fresh Cider, but if it was heat pasteurized, it must be labeled Pasteurized Cider.

2. Net quantity or content
Quantity or content may be stated in English or metric units, but must be listed within the lower third of the panel. The value(s) listed must exclude the container weight. Cider may be listed in fluid ounces, pints, quarts, or gallons along with the equivalent metric units. Rounded conversions may include:
 1 fl oz = 29.6 ml
 1 qt = 32 fl oz = 946 ml
 1 gallon = 128 fl oz = 3.8 l

3. Ingredients
Ingredients must be listed in descending order of their dominance. If a preservative is added to cider, the specific name of the preservative must be listed. Any added flavor or vitamin C also must be listed.

4. Company name
The identity of the firm (manufacturer/packer or distributor) responsible for marketing the cider and the firm’s city, state, and zip code must be listed. Telephone and street numbers are not required.

5. Product dates
Pack, open, pull, freshness, or expiration dates may be used singly or in combination. Pack and freshness dates are the most meaningful. A pack date identifies when the cider was made, while the freshness date shows how long the cider should be of optimal quality. The label might have a freshness date that reads, “Best if used by Oct. 14, 2005.”

6. Warning notice
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final ruling on labeling of fresh fruit juices that have not received an effective pasteurization treatment. See the section on food safety regulations in Part VIII for details.

Optional Labeling Information
1. Nutritional labeling
The U.S. Apple Association (USAA) recently developed the first nutritional database and generic labels for cider. The database is the result of analyzing numerous samples collected from sources in the United States. Members may access the database. Pennsylvania cider makers may get assistance from the Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Program, 2301 North Cameron St., Harrisburg, PA 17110, telephone 717-783-5418. Anyone wishing to declare any variation of the USAA labeling information should obtain assistance from a qualified person with a reputable agency or analytical laboratory. Sodium values will be significantly higher if either sodium benzoate (a preservative) or sodium ascorbate is added to increase vitamin C
content.

2. Exemptions and options
Small cider producers are exempt from nutritional labeling requirements for any 12-month period, provided no nutritional claim is made and the producer claiming the exemption employs fewer than an average of 100 full-time employees and has annual food sales of less than $50,000. Small producers may be required to file for exemption annually with the Office of Food Labeling (HFS-150), Food and Drug Administration, 200 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20204; phone 202-205-4561. This exemption does not apply to the warning statement required for unpasteurized cider.

Nutritional facts such as those listed in Tables 7-5 and 7-6 may be displayed at the point of purchase or provided in leaflet form to interested consumers. In either case, a simple format may be used but must minimally include the following facts per serving:

• total calories
• total fats, carbohydrates, and protein in grams (g)
• total sodium in milligrams (mg)

The values listed in Table 7-6 are averages of the compositional and nutritional data published by researchers and USDA’s Human Nutrition Information Service. The values listed for an 8-ounce serving and the percent daily values in Table 7-5 were computed from these average values for the 1994 labeling
requirements.

3. Product codes
Lot coding is a commonly used system of coding (by serial number or other method) each lot of cider that you make. Each lot may differ in one or more quality characteristics because different sources of apples or different blends of cultivars are used. Cider quality also may vary when made by different operators or at different times during the season. Records kept for each lot should show the source and blend of apples and where, when, and by whom the lot was made and sold. This lot coding system and accompanying records make it easier to address a possible consumer concern or regulatory question.
Universal Product Code (UPC) is a 10-digit set of numbers and bars used with computerized scanners and checkout systems and with inventory programs. If cider is to be sold through food stores, an assigned UPC may be obtained for a fee from the Uniform Code Council, Inc., 7887 Washington Village Drive, Suite 300, Dayton, OH 45459; phone 937-435-3870; e-mail gs1us@uc-council.org.

4. Handling instructions
Handling instructions encourage handlers and consumers to store the cider at less than 40°F for maximum shelf life and quality and to consume the cider before the freshness date expires.

5. Health claims
Certain health claims regarding the relationship between fat and cancer (21 CFR 101.73(e)), saturated fat and cholesterol and coronary heart disease (21 CFR 101.75(e)), and sodium and hypertension (21 CFR 101.74(e)) are allowed on an apple juice or cider label. If a nutrient or health claim is made, nutrition information must appear on the package regardless of eligibility for small-business exemptions. For details, contact the Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Program.