How is the ingredient list generated?

The ingredient statement on a Nutrition Facts label is generated by listing all the ingredients in the food product in descending order of predominance by weight. This means that the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is listed last.

There are specific guidelines based on every country’s food authority’s regulations on how the ingredient statement listed should be listed. For example, the FDA has specific guidelines on ingredients that are present in a food product in a quantity of less than 2% by weight; these ingredients can be listed in any order after the ingredients that make up more than 2% of the product. In addition to listing the ingredients by weight, the ingredient statement must also include the common or usual name of each ingredient, along with any sub-ingredients or incidental additives that may be present in the food product. For example, if a product contains a seasoning mix that includes multiple ingredients, the ingredient statement must list each individual ingredient in the seasoning mix.

The purpose of the ingredient statement is to provide consumers with information about the ingredients that are present in a food product, so that they can make informed choices about what they eat. By listing ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight, consumers can easily see which ingredients make up the bulk of the product.