CN labels, factsheets, and product labels provide a way for food manufacturers to communicate with school program operators about how their products may contribute to the meal pattern requirements for meals served under the USDA CN programs. Included are tips for acceptable documentation.
On Dec. 1, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration published the final rule, Food Labeling; Calorie Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending Machines, in the Federal Register.
USDA does not approve a manufacturer’s PFS. Program operators are ultimately responsible for ensuring menu items meet meal pattern requirements; therefore, program operators should review and verify the crediting statement on a manufacturer’s PFS before purchasing the product.
The watermark, is to be applied to all CN contribution statements not supported by product specific documentation and to CN product labels that are distributed without federally inspected and packaged product.
The Child Nutrition (CN) label and a manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement (PFS) are documents that provide a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a processed food product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements in child nutrition programs (CNP).
School food authorities should include a copy of the label from the purchased product package in addition to the following information on letterhead signed by an official company representative.
Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains in School Meals