Products Promotable Use of Fruits & Veggies—More Matters on Products & Recipes
The following nutrition criteria define which fruit
and vegetable products and recipes may bear the
Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® brand on packaging,
on marketing materials, with recipes, and in any other
efforts where specific fruit and vegetable products are
promoted. These standards are set by CDC, the leading
public health authority for the brand, to ensure products
and recipes promoting the brand offer an overall healthy
nutrient profile. The CDC used Dietary Guidelines for
Americans, 2005, Food and Drug Administration's labeling
definitions, and U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Food Guide serving sizes to create these criteria.
CRITERIA
All forms of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen,
canned, dried, and 100% juice) are included under
the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® product and
recipe criteria.
All forms of fruits and vegetables with only water or 100% juice
added qualify to carry the brand logo (e.g. all fresh fruits and
vegetables or canned fruit with only water added, or frozen and
dried fruits and vegetables with no other ingredients added).
Other individual fruit and vegetable products (products
which contain only fruits, vegetables, nuts, sugars, oils,
herbs, and salt) may qualify to carry the brand logo if
they meet the following criteria.
1. Processed fruit and vegetable products
(frozen, canned, dried, fresh-cut) provided that:
a. One portion of product must contain at least one
serving of fruit or vegetable. One serving of fruit or
vegetable is defined as:
One medium piece of fruit - 1 medium orange
1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked (fresh, frozen, or
canned) - 6 baby carrots, 16 grapes
1/2 cup cooked dry peas, beans, lentils, 5 kidney beans
1 cup leafy salad greens
1/4 cup dried fruit - 1/4 cup raisins
4 oz. (1/2 cup) 100% fruit or vegetable juice
b. Each serving of product should limit the amounts of
added sugars or caloric sweeteners:
Added sweeteners ≤8 calories per serving (e.g.,
<1/2 tsp. sucrose or equivalent amount of other
sweetener).
Concentrated fruit juice sweeteners, jams, and
jellies count as added sugars.
c. Each serving of product should limit the amounts of
fat:
- Total fat ≤3g per serving.
- Saturated fat is <10% of calories.
- Trans fat is <0.5g per serving.
- The fat found naturally in fruits and vegetable
does not contribute to the limits above. Further,
up to 1/4 oz. of nuts is allowed per serving without
their fat content contributing to these restrictions.
Nuts and nut butters must be in their natural
form without anything added or removed (e.g.,
no added oils, removed oils, added sodium, or
added sugars).
d. Each serving of product should contain ≤480 mg
of sodium per serving.
e. Each serving of product must offer ≥0.014 g/kcal of
naturally occurring fiber (28g of fiber /2000
calories).
f. Processed products may not be fortified in a
manner that is inconsistent with the FDA policy on
fortification (CFR 104.20); may not be fortified
beyond the FDA standards for food enrichment and
fortification; may not be supplemented with dietary
supplements (e.g., botanicals) or sold as dietary
supplements; but may be fortified with vitamins and
minerals consistent with the FDA fortification policy
and in cases in which vitamins and minerals are
used as a food preservative (e.g. ascorbic acid and
calcium carbonate on sliced fruit).
a. Each serving of food must contain at least one
serving of fruit or vegetable per 250 calories,
when prepared as directed.
- Up to 250 calories 1 fruit or vegetable serving
- 251 to 375 calories 1½
- 376-500 calories 2
- 501 to 625 calories 2½
c. Each serving of food should limit the amounts of fat:
- Total fat is ≤35% of total calories.
- Saturated fat is <10% of calories.
- Trans fat is <0.5 g per serving.
- The fat found naturally in fruits and vegetables
does not contribute to the limits above. Further,
up to 1/4 oz. of nuts is allowed per serving without
their fat content contributing to these restrictions.
Nuts and nut butters must be in their natural form
without anything added or removed (e.g.,
no added oils, removed oils, added sodium, or
added sugars).
d. Each serving of food should contain ≤600 mg of
sodium per serving.
e. Each serving of food must offer ≥0.014g/kcal
naturally occurring fiber (28g of fiber/2000
calories).
f. Processed products may not be fortified in a
manner that is inconsistent with the FDA policy on
fortification (CFR 104.20); may not be fortified
beyond the FDA standards for food enrichment and
fortification; may not be supplemented with dietary
supplements (e.g., botanicals) or sold as dietary
supplements; but may be fortified with vitamins and
minerals consistent with the FDA fortification policy
and in cases in which vitamins and minerals are used
as a food preservative (e.g. ascorbic acid and calcium
carbonate on sliced fruit).
NOTE: Acceptable recipes can be found at
www.FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org or
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.
*A recipe is defined as containing any foods other than
fruits, vegetables, nuts, sugars, oils, herbs, and salt.
**Meal products defined. A meal product is defined as a food that makes a major contribution
to the total diet by:
1. Weighing at least 10 oz. per labeled serving; and
2. Containing not less than 40 g for each of at least 3 different foods
from 2 or more of the following (5) food groups:
a. bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group
b. fruit group
c. vegetable group
d. milk, yogurt, and cheese group
e. meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group
These foods shall not be sauces (except for foods in the above
five food groups that are in the sauces), gravies, condiments,
relishes, pickles, olives, jams, jellies, syrups, breadings, or garnishes.
The meal product should also be represented as, or is in a form
commonly understood to be a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack/meal.
Such representations may be made either by statements, photographs,
or vignettes.
**Main dish products defined. A main dish product is defined as a food that makes a major
contribution to a meal by:
1. Weighing at least 6 oz. per labeled serving; and
2. Containing not less than 40 g of foods or food mixtures from two of
the five food groups noted above; and is represented as, or is in a
form commonly understood to be, a main dish. Such representations
may be made either by statements, photographs, or vignettes.
The CDC used the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, the Food and Drug Administration's labeling definitions, and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide serving sizes to create these criteria.
Nutritional analysis must be conducted using "The Food
ProcessorSQL" Version 9.8.1 or higher.
Need help? For assistance in determining whether your product or recipe qualifies or other criteria questions, contact PBH's
Licensing Department,
