For some time now I have been reading nutrition labels. A lot of things seem inconsistent. For example, a bag of baby carrots at Wal Mart will have seemingly no vitamin A, while the full size will have 70% of vitamin A per serving and then a can of carrots of one brand will have about a serving with 30% vitamin A whilst another brand of a can of carrots will have none. Additionally the bottom of food labels will sometimes say “Not a significant source of Vitamin A, Magnesium or vitamin C” or some variant but then not mention other micronutrients? But if it is a significant source of those micronutrients why isn’t it on the label?
See here:
https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/whats-new-nutrition-facts-label
https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/new-nutrition-facts-label
Only the nutrients shown there are required to be displayed on the nutrition label. Other micronutrients are not required to be shown on the label, unless a specific claim is being made about them elsewhere on the packaging. In most cases, the non-required micronutrients are not shown at all because it costs companies money to have their food tested for additional micronutrients.
Also note that there was a recent change, and now vitamin A and vitamin C are no longer required, however you may still see this on some packaging.
Food labels are required to have vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and iron. Food labels in the past required vitamins A and C, but the most recent update to the nutrition facts no longer require those vitamins to be stated (although it can be included voluntarily). Additionally, the reason food labels will say what it is not a significant source of is because those micronutrients are required to be on the label. Any other vitamins or minerals that a product contains is optional for companies to declare.
Well first food labels aren’t required to list every micro. These days I’m pretty sure it’s just sodium, iron, and three others I can’t remember off the top of my head. I’m sure some companies just didn’t want to go through the hassle of designing new labels so stuck with the old full lists
It also depends on serving size, if any vitamin was added in, rounding, etc