{"dataset":"US Nutrition Label Rules","version":"17.0.0","cfr_snapshot_date":"2026-02-12","source":"FDA 21 CFR 101.9 (Nutrition labeling of food)","url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/dual-column/","md_url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/dual-column.md","slug":"dual-column","format_keys":["dual_column_container","dual_column_unit"],"name":"Dual column","title":"Dual Column Nutrition Facts Label","answer":"Required when a package sold individually, or one unit, holds 200% to 300% of its reference amount. The label shows a column per serving and a column for the whole package or unit.","rule":"required","rule_summary":"Required at 200% to 300% of the reference amount","citations":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)"},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)"},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)"}],"in_studio":false,"check":{"condition":"Required if one package or one unit holds 200% to 300% of its reference amount, the package is not small, and no exemption applies.","questions":[{"id":"package-size","question":"How much does one package or one unit hold?","options":[{"id":"package-200-300","label":"Package: 200% to 300%, sold individually"},{"id":"unit-200-300","label":"One unit: 200% to 300%"},{"id":"150-200","label":"Package: over 150%, under 200%"},{"id":"popcorn","label":"Popcorn package: 200% to 300%"},{"id":"varied-weight","label":"Random weight, like cheese: 200% to 300%"},{"id":"raw-produce","label":"Raw fruit, vegetable or seafood: 200% to 300%"},{"id":"other","label":"Something else"}]},{"id":"label-area","question":"How much of the package can carry printing?","options":[{"id":"under-12","label":"Under 12 sq in"},{"id":"12-40","label":"12 to 40 sq in"},{"id":"over-40","label":"Over 40 sq in"}]},{"id":"vertical-fits","question":"Does a vertical panel fit on any side?","options":[{"id":"yes","label":"Yes"},{"id":"no","label":"No"}]},{"id":"population","question":"Who is the food made for?","options":[{"id":"general","label":"Everyone 4 and older"},{"id":"infants","label":"Infants through 12 months"},{"id":"children","label":"Children 1 through 3"},{"id":"both","label":"Infants and children 1 through 3"},{"id":"pregnant","label":"Pregnant or lactating women"}]},{"id":"prepared","question":"Is it prepared before eating, or eaten with another food?","options":[{"id":"yes","label":"Yes"},{"id":"no","label":"No"}]},{"id":"tabular-fits","question":"Does a regular tabular panel fit on any side?","options":[{"id":"yes","label":"Yes"},{"id":"no","label":"No"}]}],"assumed":[{"question":"population","answer":"general","text":"for everyone 4 and older"},{"question":"prepared","answer":"no","text":"eaten as sold"}]},"differs_from_standard":["A second column of amounts and %DV sits beside the per serving column.","Vertical lines separate the columns. Each column shows its own calories."],"callouts":[{"text":"Per package or per unit column","cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)"},{"text":"Calories for each column","cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)(i)"},{"text":"Vertical lines split the columns","cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)"}],"daily_values":[],"all_daily_values":[],"sections":[{"id":"per-package","heading":"Per serving and per package","text":"Required when a package sold individually holds 200% to 300% of the reference amount. The second column covers the whole package.","citations":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)"}]},{"id":"per-unit","heading":"Per serving and per unit","text":"Required when one unit, such as one muffin, weighs 200% to 300% of the reference amount. The serving size is the amount closest to the reference amount, and the second column covers one unit. The same exemptions apply as for the per-package column.","citations":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)"}]},{"id":"exemptions","heading":"When no second column is required","text":"A product that qualifies for the small-package tabular or linear label. Raw fruits, vegetables and seafood with voluntary labeling or claims. A label that already adds an as prepared column, a column for two Daily Value groups, or a per cup popped column for popcorn. Random weight products too.","citations":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(A)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(A)"},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(B)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(B)"},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)"},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(8)(iii)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(8)(iii)"}]},{"id":"one-serving","heading":"Over 150% and under 200%","text":"The whole package is one serving. You may add a column per common household measure, such as per cup, to the left of the per package column.","citations":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(6)"}]}],"fda_sample_labels":[{"graphic":"er21de18.011","title":"Per serving and per container","image":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/fda/er21de18.011.png","cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)(i)","federal_register":"83 FR 65493","federal_register_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/21/2018-27431/food-labeling-revision-of-the-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels-technical-amendments","values_illustrative":true},{"graphic":"er21de18.012","title":"Per serving and per unit","image":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/fda/er21de18.012.png","cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)(i)","federal_register":"83 FR 65493","federal_register_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/21/2018-27431/food-labeling-revision-of-the-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels-technical-amendments","values_illustrative":true}],"related":[{"slug":"tabular","url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/tabular/"},{"slug":"per-100g-column","url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/per-100g-column/"},{"slug":"dual-column-as-prepared","url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/dual-column-as-prepared/"},{"slug":"infants","url":"https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/infants/"}],"quotes":[{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)","text":"Products that are packaged and sold individually and that contain at least 200 percent and up to and including 300 percent of the applicable reference amount must provide an additional column within the Nutrition Facts label that lists the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values for the entire package, as well as a column listing the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values for a serving that is less than the entire package (i.e., the serving size derived from the reference amount).","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)","text":"If a unit weighs at least 200 percent and up to and including 300 percent of the applicable reference amount, the serving size shall be the amount that approximates the reference amount. In addition to providing a column within the Nutrition Facts label that lists the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values per serving size, the manufacturer shall provide a column within the Nutrition Facts label that lists the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values per individual unit. The first column would be based on the serving size for the product and the second column would be based on the individual unit. The exemptions in paragraphs (b)(12)(i)(A), (B), and (C) of this section apply to this provision.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)(6)","text":"When dual labeling is presented for a food on a per serving basis and per container basis as required in paragraph (b)(12)(i) of this section or on a per serving basis and per unit basis as required in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(D) of this section, the quantitative information by weight as required in paragraph (d)(7)(i) and the percent Daily Value as required in paragraph (d)(7)(ii) shall be presented in two columns, and the columns shall be separated by vertical lines as shown in the displays in paragraph (e)(6)(i) of this section.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(6)","text":"A product that is packaged and sold individually that contains less than 200 percent of the applicable reference amount must be considered to be a single-serving container, and the entire content of the product must be labeled as one serving.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(6)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(6)","text":"In addition to providing a column within the Nutrition Facts label that lists the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values per serving, for a product that is packaged and sold individually that contains more than 150 percent and less than 200 percent of the applicable reference amount, the Nutrition Facts label may voluntarily provide, to the left of the column that provides nutrition information per container (i.e., per serving), an additional column that lists the quantitative amounts and percent Daily Values per common household measure that most closely approximates the reference amount.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(A)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(A)","text":"This provision does not apply to products that meet the requirements to use the tabular format in paragraph (j)(13)(ii)(A)(1) of this section or to products that meet the requirements to use the linear format in paragraph (j)(13)(ii)(A)(2) of this section.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(B)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(B)","text":"This provision does not apply to raw fruits, vegetables, and seafood for which voluntary nutrition labeling is provided in the product labeling or advertising or when claims are made about the product.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)","text":"This provision does not apply to products that require further preparation and provide an additional column of nutrition information under paragraph (e) of this section, to products that are commonly consumed in combination with another food and provide an additional column of nutrition information under paragraph (e) of this section, to products that provide an additional column of nutrition information for two or more groups for which RDIs are established (e.g., both infants and children less than 4 years of age), to popcorn products that provide an additional column of nutrition information per 1 cup popped popcorn, or to varied-weight products covered under paragraph (b)(8)(iii) of this section.","excerpt":false},{"cite":"21 CFR 101.9(b)(8)(iii)","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(8)(iii)","text":"For random weight products, manufacturers may declare “varied” for the number of servings per container provided the nutrition information is based on the reference amount expressed in the appropriate household measure based on the hierarchy described in paragraph (b)(5) of this section.","excerpt":false}],"faq":[{"id":"dual-required","question":"When is a dual column Nutrition Facts label required?","answer":"When a package sold on its own holds 200% to 300% of its reference amount, or when one unit weighs 200% to 300%.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)"]},{"id":"dual-under-200","question":"What about a package under 200% of the reference amount?","answer":"A package sold individually with less than 200% is a single-serving container. The whole package is labeled as one serving. Over 150%, you may add a per household measure column to its left.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(b)(6)"]},{"id":"dual-exempt","question":"Which products need no second column?","answer":"Products that qualify for the small-package tabular or linear label. Raw produce and seafood labeled voluntarily. Labels that already add an as prepared, two-group or per cup popped column, and random weight products.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(A)","21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(B)","21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)"]},{"id":"dual-percentage","question":"How do I work out the percentage?","answer":"Divide the amount in one package, or one unit, by its reference amount and multiply by 100. An 850 mL bottle of iced tea, with the 360 mL reference amount for sweetened tea in 21 CFR 101.12(b), is 850 ÷ 360 × 100 = 236%. That is between 200% and 300%, so it needs the second column.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)","21 CFR 101.9(b)(2)(i)(D)"]},{"id":"dual-tabular","question":"Can a dual column label be tabular?","answer":"Yes. FDA shows a tabular panel with both columns.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(e)(6)(ii)"]},{"id":"dual-short-names","question":"Can a dual column panel shorten nutrient names?","answer":"Yes. From FDA’s abbreviation list, only “Total carb.” and “Incl.” on a package over 40 sq in, on dual column displays. A package of 40 sq in or less may use every short name on that list. Any panel may print “Saturated fat” as “Saturated” and “Trans fat” as “Trans”.","citations":["21 CFR 101.9(j)(13)(ii)(B)","21 CFR 101.9(c)(2)(i)","21 CFR 101.9(c)(2)(ii)"]}]}