Can You Label Your Food Sugar-Free? The FDA Rule
Sugar-free and no sugar added both sell, and people use them as if they mean the same thing. The FDA does not. Each is a defined claim with its own rule, and getting it wrong on a label is a problem you do not want. Here is what you are promising with each.
Sugar-free means under half a gram per serving
The FDA defines sugar-free as less than 0.5 grams of total sugars in a serving, measured against the reference serving the agency sets, not a portion you pick. No sugar and zero sugar mean the same limit. It counts every sugar, natural and added together, so a fruit product with its own sugars usually cannot be sugar-free even with nothing added.
No sugar added is a different promise
No sugar added, also written without added sugars, means you did not add any sugar or sugar-containing ingredient while making the food, and you did not use an ingredient that contains added sugar, like jam or concentrated fruit juice. The food still has whatever sugar its ingredients bring. An unsweetened applesauce can say no sugar added while still listing several grams of sugar on the panel.
There is a catch: if your no-sugar-added food is not lower in calories than the regular version, the label has to say so near the claim, so a shopper is not misled into thinking it is a diet food.
The claim brings the panel with it
The moment you print sugar-free or no sugar added, you are making a nutrient content claim. That voids the small-business and direct-sale exemptions that let some cottage sellers skip the Nutrition Facts panel. A claim always brings the full panel with it, so plan on the panel if you want the words.
What Nutripane does and does not do
Nutripane calculates the sugars in your recipe from USDA values and builds the panel, the ingredient list, and the allergen line. It does not verify that your serving lands under the half-gram limit, because that depends on your exact recipe and serving size. Treat the sugar number as a solid estimate, confirm it before you print the claim, and check the current FDA rule.
Questions
Is sugar-free the same as no sugar added?
No. Sugar-free means under half a gram of total sugar in a serving, natural and added counted together. No sugar added means you did not add sugar while making the food, but it can still contain natural sugar from its ingredients, so a no-sugar-added fruit product often still shows several grams of sugar on the panel.
Can I call my food sugar-free if it uses a sweetener?
Only if a serving still has less than half a gram of total sugars. Many non-sugar sweeteners add little or no sugar, so a food can qualify, but you go by the actual sugar in the finished serving, and you make the claim at your own responsibility.
Keep reading
This page is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food and food labeling rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm current requirements with your state's cottage food program and the FDA before you sell. See your state's rules or how to label your product.