Serving sizes on Nutrition Facts labels must reflect the amount of food typically consumed in one sitting, based on FDA reference amounts — not the amount a manufacturer thinks is appropriate or healthy.
RACC stands for Reference Amount Customarily Consumed. FDA publishes RACC values for over 150 food categories in 21 CFR § 101.12. Your serving size must be based on the RACC for your product's category — you cannot choose your own serving size arbitrarily.
The 2016 label update revised many RACC values to more accurately reflect how Americans actually eat today.
| Food Category | RACC | Household Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Cookies | 30g | About 2–3 cookies |
| Ice cream | 2/3 cup (87g) | 2/3 cup |
| Soft drinks | 240 mL | 8 fl oz |
| Bread (sliced) | 50g | About 1–2 slices |
| Chips / crackers | 30g | About 12–15 pieces |
| Yogurt | 170g | About 2/3 cup |
| Salad dressing | 30 mL | 2 tablespoons |
Serving sizes must be expressed using both a household measure and the gram (or mL) equivalent in parentheses.
A dual-column label is required when a package contains more than 1 but no more than 3 servings, and could reasonably be consumed by one person in a single sitting. Common examples include a 20 oz soda or a pint of ice cream.
The left column shows nutrients per serving; the right column shows nutrients for the whole package.
Enter Clear checks whether your serving size matches FDA RACC guidelines and flags issues before they become import problems.
Check my label →