Can You Label Your Food High-Protein? The FDA Rule
Protein sells right now, so high protein is a tempting line to add. But high is a defined claim with a number behind it, and protein has an extra twist most sellers miss. Here is what it takes to earn the words.
High means 20 percent of the Daily Value
For any nutrient, the FDA sets high, rich in, or excellent source of at 20 percent or more of the Daily Value in a serving. Good source, contains, or provides is the middle tier, 10 to 19 percent. The Daily Value for protein is 50 grams, so high protein works out to about 10 grams or more of quality-adjusted protein in a serving.
Protein has a quality catch
Here is the twist most sellers miss. A protein claim cannot use the raw grams from your recipe. The FDA makes you correct the amount for protein quality, a measure of how digestible and complete the protein is. A plant protein often corrects downward, so 10 grams on paper can count as less toward the claim.
There is a second string attached: once you make a protein claim, you also have to show the percent Daily Value for protein on the panel, which is otherwise optional.
Good source is the easier claim
If your food does not reach 20 percent, good source of protein only needs 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value, roughly 5 to 10 grams of quality-adjusted protein. It is an honest claim to reach for when high is a stretch, and it still carries the same protein-quality math.
What Nutripane does and does not do
Nutripane builds the panel and can show the protein line from USDA values. It does not run the protein-quality correction, which needs lab-level data about your ingredients, so treat the grams as an estimate. Confirm the corrected amount before you print high or good source, and check the current FDA rule.
Questions
How much protein is high protein?
The FDA sets high protein at 20 percent of the Daily Value or more, about 10 grams of quality-adjusted protein in a serving. Good source of protein is 10 to 19 percent, about 5 to 10 grams. The amount is corrected for protein quality, not just the grams in your recipe.
Do I need lab testing to claim high protein?
Not always, but the claim uses a protein-quality correction that most home sellers cannot calculate from a database alone, so a defensible high-protein claim often leans on lab analysis. If you cannot back the number, use a factual description instead of the claim.
Keep reading
This page is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food and food labeling rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm current requirements with your state's cottage food program and the FDA before you sell. See your state's rules or how to label your product.