# Nutrition Facts Label for Infant Foods

A vertical panel with infant Daily Values. It shows no %DV for seven nutrients and has no footnote.

Foods made for infants through 12 months, other than infant formula, use infant Daily Values. The panel shows no %DV for seven nutrients and has no footnote.

**URL:** https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/infants/
**Provider:** BetterMenu (https://bettermenu.live)
**Rule:** Required for infant foods. [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)), [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)), [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i))
**Source:** FDA 21 CFR 101.9, eCFR as of 2026-02-12
**In BetterMenu Studio:** Studio works out the per-serving and per-package numbers from your recipe today. It exports the standard vertical panel. Infants through 12 months export is not available yet. Studio gives the amounts per serving, and your designer sets them in the infant panel with the infant Daily Values.

These pages are for conventional foods and drinks, not dietary supplements or medical foods.

## Do I need this?

Required if the food is made for infants through 12 months.

The page asks one question at a time, only while the answer can still change the result:

- Who is the food made for? (Everyone 4 and older / Infants through 12 months / Children 1 through 3 / Infants and children 1 through 3 / Pregnant or lactating women)

Decision rules, from the same logic as the page:

- If who it is for is “Everyone 4 and older”, then: Not this format. Use Standard vertical.
- If who it is for is “Infants through 12 months”, then: You need this format.
- If who it is for is “Children 1 through 3”, then: Not this format. Use Children 1 through 3.
- If who it is for is “Infants and children 1 through 3”, then: You need this format. Two %DV columns, one for infants and one for children 1 through 3.
- If who it is for is “Pregnant or lactating women”, then: Not this format. Use Pregnant or lactating women.

Next steps once it applies: Use the infant Daily Values for every %DV. Give your designer the infant sample and the type sizes below.

## How it differs from standard vertical

The layout is the same as the standard panel. The %DV comes from the Daily Values for infants through 12 months. It shows no %DV for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, dietary fiber, total sugars or added sugars, and it has no footnote.

| Nutrient | Adults and children 4+ | Infants | Change | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Total Fat | 78 g | 30 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g | No %DV | No %DV | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Cholesterol | 300 mg | No %DV | No %DV | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg | No %DV | No %DV | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Total Carbohydrate | 275 g | 95 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Dietary Fiber | 28 g | No %DV | No %DV | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Added Sugars | 50 g | No %DV | No %DV | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Protein | 50 g | 11 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Vitamin D | 20 mcg | 10 mcg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Calcium | 1,300 mg | 260 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Iron | 18 mg | 11 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Potassium | 4,700 mg | 700 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |

## Infants and children 1 through 3

A food made for both infants through 12 months and children 1 through 3 shows two %DV columns, one for each group. A package that holds 200% to 300% of its reference amount then needs no per-package column.

Sources: [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i)), [21 CFR 101.9(e)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e)), [21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(C)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(b)(12)(i)(C))

## FDA sample label

- Infants through 12 months: printed in [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(B)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(B)), published at 88 FR 17710 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/24/2023-05418/food-labeling-infant-formula-requirements-food-additives-and-generally-recognized-as-safe-substances). The values on FDA's sample are illustrative.

## For your designer

Space: The same as the standard vertical panel, with no footnote.

| Part | Value | Source | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nutrient, vitamin and mineral rows | 8 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| “Calories” | 16 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| Calorie number | 22 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| Servings per container | 10 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(i)) |
| Serving size line | 10 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(ii)) |
| “Amount per serving” and “% Daily Value” | 6 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| “Nutrition Facts” heading | No smaller than any other type, except the calorie number | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(2)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(2)) |
| Bold | “Nutrition Facts”, “Serving size”, “Amount per serving”, “% Daily Value”, the names of nutrients that are not indented and the %DV figures. The calorie number and the serving size line are bold too. Servings per container is not. | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iv)), [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)), [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(ii)) |
| %DV | None for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, total and added sugars | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |
| Footnote | None | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)) |

“From FDA’s sample” means the value was measured from FDA’s sample label, not stated in the rule text. “BetterMenu’s choice” is our own value where the rule text is silent.

- Download FDA’s sample label, Infants through 12 months: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/fda/er24mr23.012.png

## The protein %DV on an infant label

- A food for infants gives a %DV for protein, even with no protein claim. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(7)(i)))
- Except when its protein quality (PER) is under 40% of casein. Then the label gives no protein %DV. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(7)(i)))
- It says “not a significant source of protein” beside the grams instead. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(7)))
- The %DV uses the corrected protein: grams of protein times its PER divided by the PER of casein, never above 1.00. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(7)(ii)))
- The infant RDI for protein is 11 g. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(7)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(7)(iii)))

## Common mistakes

- Printing a %DV for any of the seven nutrients that show none on an infant label, such as sodium or added sugars. ([21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)))
- Keeping the adult footnote. An infant label has no footnote. ([21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)))
- Using adult Daily Values for the %DV. Use the infant values. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i)))

## Example: A pouch of pureed pears for babies 6 months and up

The pouch is made for infants only. It uses the infant panel, with infant Daily Values, no %DV for the seven nutrients and no footnote. ([21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(ii))) An invented product, for illustration.

## Related formats

- [Children 1 through 3](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/children-1-3/)
- [Pregnant or lactating women](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/pregnant-lactating/)
- [Simplified](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/simplified/)

## Rule text

> “Such labeling shall not declare a percent Daily Value for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, dietary fiber, total sugars, or added sugars and shall not include a footnote.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

> “For purposes of declaration of percent of Daily Value as provided for in paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) of this section, foods represented or purported to be specifically for infants through 12 months, children 1 through 3 years, pregnant women, and lactating women shall use the RDIs that are specified for the intended group.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

> “For foods represented or purported to be specifically for both infants through 12 months of age and children 1 through 3 years of age, the percent of Daily Value shall be presented by separate declarations according to paragraph (e) of this section based on the RDI values for infants through 12 months of age and children 1 through 3 years of age.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

> “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.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)(i)(C), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

## Frequently asked questions

### Which nutrients show no %DV on an infant food label?

Saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, dietary fiber, total sugars and added sugars. The label still lists their amounts.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A), 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(i)

### Does an infant food label have a footnote?

No. The rule for infant foods says the label shall not include a footnote.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)(A)

### Does this label apply to infant formula?

No. The rule covers foods for infants other than infant formula.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(ii)

### What if the food is for infants and children 1 through 3?

The label shows two %DV columns, one per group, each from its own Daily Values.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), 21 CFR 101.9(e)

## Machine-readable data

This page as JSON: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/infants/data.json
Every format: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/data.json