Case Studies
Demonstrating Our Expertise and Commitment
Nutrition Analysis
A customer had their product's analysis and nutrition facts label prepared by another company and submitted it for an FDA compliance review. NutriData identified that the nutrition facts label was non-compliant, particularly regarding the stated serving size and ingredient statement. When the customer provided the formulation to correct the serving size declaration, they discovered that the initial analysis was grossly inaccurate. The company had used generic database ingredients that did not accurately represent the product. Thanks to NutriData's intervention, the customer avoided potential recalls, re-labeling, and damaging their professional image.
- Issue: Using generic database ingredients that don't accurately represent the product can indeed lead to significant issues, including potential recalls and damage to the company's reputation.
- Solution: By correcting the serving size declaration and ensuring the analysis accurately reflects the product, the customer was able to avoid these pitfalls.
This situation highlights the importance of accurate and compliant labeling in the food industry.
A consumer, concerned about the accuracy of the nutrition label on a major brand product consumed daily, requested an analysis. The results revealed significant discrepancies in the nutritional values, leading to a loss of consumer confidence and potential FDA enforcement action for under or over-reported nutritional values.
Potential consequences for the brand include:
- Loss of Consumer Trust: Consumers may lose confidence in the brand, leading to decreased sales and a damaged reputation.
- Regulatory Penalties: The FDA may impose fines or other penalties for non-compliance with labeling regulations.
- Product Recalls: The brand may be required to recall products, which can be costly and further damage its reputation.
- Legal Action: The brand could face lawsuits from consumers or other parties affected by the inaccurate labeling.
- Market Share Decline: Competitors may capitalize on the brand's missteps, leading to a loss of market share.
Ultimately, accurate labeling is about more than just compliance—it's about building trust with consumers, protecting their health, and setting a high standard for quality and transparency in the industry. By addressing these issues proactively, companies can indeed pave the way for a safer and more reliable food industry.
NutriData identified a discrepancy in the company's recipe weights that didn't match the specified batch size. After alerting the customer, we resolved the issue by adjusting the recipe, which prevented potential mislabeling and ensured the nutrition facts label remained accurate.
Solution: Ensuring the recipe weights match the batch size is crucial for accurate labeling and customer satisfaction.
The client submitted a laboratory nutrition analysis and requested NutriData to generate a nutrition facts label based on the analytical data. NutriData identified a significant overestimation in the caloric content due to the intrinsic properties of the product. Consequently, the client was able to label their product with a substantially lower caloric value than initially projected.
A client provided NutriData with a laboratory analysis for the creation of a Nutrition Facts label. NutriData identified that the proximate values reported exceeded 100%, indicating an error in the data. The values were subsequently corrected to produce an accurate label.
Ingredient / Allergen Labeling: Undeclared Allergens
Prohibited Food Ingredient in the U.S.
NutriData identified the prohibited ingredient through an FDA product label review. This process involves a thorough examination of the product's label to ensure compliance with FDA regulations. During the review, NutriData checks for accurate ingredient listings, proper allergen declarations, and compliance with all relevant labeling laws[2][1]. By meticulously analyzing the label, NutriData was able to spot the prohibited ingredient and notify the company before the product was exported to the U.S., thereby preventing a potential recall.
References:
[1] Our Services | NutriData Nutritional Analysis and Food Labeling Services [2] Food Package | Label Compliance Review | NutriData [3] FAQs | NutriData Nutritional Analysis and Food Label ServiceFDA Label Compliance Reviews
For seven years, the customer had been importing a product from Mexico to the U.S. without any issues. However, the FDA recently investigated the product's labeling, leading to its detention at a U.S. port due to mislabeling, including improper bilingual statements.
As a result, the company had to re-label the product, which involved several costly steps: conducting an additional nutrition analysis, creating a new label, having the label reviewed, working with a graphic designer to revise the label, and physically re-labeling the product containers. This process led to FDA fines, loss of business, and negative consumer perception of the mechanically re-labeled product.
To prevent such issues in the future, it's crucial for companies to stay informed about FDA labeling regulations and ensure that their labels comply with all requirements before importing products. This can help avoid costly detentions and maintain consumer trust. Had the company gone through the approval process before initially importing the product, it would have saved a lot of costs and headaches.
Nutrient Content Claims and Heath Claims
A bread company asserted that its product contained 0g net carbohydrates. However, subsequent analysis revealed significant misrepresentation, which could necessitate an FDA recall or the re-labeling of already distributed products. This situation could have resulted in a loss of consumer loyalty, adversely affecting the company's sales and credibility.
In response, the bread company engaged NutriData's product development services to re-formulate the bread, ensuring the nutritional claims were accurately represented.
- Summary: The bread company's initial misrepresentation of their product's nutritional content could have led to regulatory issues and a loss of consumer trust. By partnering with NutriData, they were able to correct the formulation and restore the accuracy of their product's nutritional claims.
Shelf Life Reviews
A company developed a product that its biochemist claimed could be sold as shelf-stable. However, a shelf life review and microbiology testing revealed that the product is potentially hazardous, capable of supporting pathogenic bacteria, including the deadly botulinum spore.
The client was referred to an FDA process authority to determine formulation and processing procedures to assure the safety of the product. With these adjustments, the client was able to retail the product with assurance that it would be safe throughout the shelf life period.
Selling potentially hazardous food to the public can have serious consequences, both legally and in terms of public health:
- Public Health Risks: Hazardous foods can lead to foodborne illnesses, which may cause severe health issues such as food poisoning, infections, and even death. Common risks include microbial contamination, chemical contamination, and food adulteration
- Legal Consequences: Selling unsafe food can result in significant legal repercussions. This includes fines, lawsuits, and even criminal charges. Regulatory bodies like the FDA and USDA enforce strict food safety laws to prevent such incidents
- Business Impact: Businesses found selling hazardous food can suffer reputational damage, leading to loss of customers and revenue. They may also face mandatory recalls and increased scrutiny from health inspectors
- Economic Costs: The economic impact of foodborne illnesses is substantial, including healthcare costs and lost productivity. For instance, chronic food-related illnesses have been estimated to cost trillions of dollars over time
Ensuring food safety is crucial to protect public health and avoid these severe consequences.
Copackers and Recipe Formulation
A client, who was using a copacker to manufacture their recipe, asked them to increase a nutrient in their product. The majority of copackers consider that recipe creation, and unbeknownst to the client, meant that the copacker now owned the recipe. When switching copackers, he couldn’t get the recipe from the company.
The client reached out to us, and using a combination of lab testing, reverse engineering, nutrient analysis, and organoleptic sensory, we were able to recreate his recipe from the final product.
A client gave her recipe to a copacker to manufacture and create a nutrition facts label for it. Upon receiving her bill for the ingredients bought through the copacker, it was over $20k more expensive than she believed it should be based on the batch run and recipe.
By lab testing her product and comparing it to the nutritional statement, the copacker had not only not followed her recipe, but also grossly misstated the nutritional statement of her recipe and of what was even in the bottle.
Because of this catch, we were able to save her the $20k and brand reputation.
