If you have been searching for an explanation that can satisfy you, you have landed on the right page. We’ll address this issue for everyone who is confused about the FDA requirements.
What is an as-prepared label?
The as-prepared label refers to the declaration made by the manufacturer that the particular product contains a certain number of calories or nutrients in it until the time it was packaged or prepared & It applies to natural food products as well.
In most cases, this isn’t the total calorie count or nutrients you’ll find in the end product, and you’ll have to calculate the sum based on what other ingredients you put in.
When is it used?
FDA instructs to use the “as prepared” on the food label in conditions where the food is semi-prepared, and you are required to add more ingredients in the vegetable, meat, or other forms.
In all such cases, the increase in the nutritional value and calorie count is obvious. So, FDA considers it important to mention on the semi-prepared product that the nutritional disclosure on the pack is only for the products that are in the box.
How can it impact you?
Suppose you buy a pack of ready-made soup pack, but it says to add chicken in it at the time of preparation. So, now you could be confused about the calorie count indicated on the pack, whether it is after adding the chicken or before it.
Besides, you could have purchased it after careful analysis of the nutritional value without knowing that it isn’t about the end product.
So in all such situations, mentioning as prepared can lower the confusion levels of the customers, and everyone can make an informed decision.
