Some claims on a grocery package have enforceable federal definitions behind them. Others have almost none. The label rarely tells you which is which, and the difference determines whether a phrase means anything.
Federal food labeling is also mid-revision. The FDA's updated definition of the term healthy is final, with a compliance date of February 25, 2028. A proposed rule requiring a standardized nutrition box on the front of most packages remains unfinished. Until those take effect, the labels in front of you follow the older rules, which is worth knowing before you pay a premium for a word.
