How FDA's reference amounts (RACC) decide your serving size
Updated July 2026 · Reviewed against 21 CFR 101.12
The most common mistake on a first-time label isn't a math error — it's picking the serving size by feel instead of by rule. FDA sets a Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC) for dozens of food categories (21 CFR 101.12), and your Nutrition Facts panel's serving size has to be based on that RACC, converted into a realistic household measure for your specific product, not on how much you personally think a serving "should" be.
In practice this means two products in the same category — say, two different granola bars — should land on comparable serving sizes even if their recipes and portioning are totally different, because both are anchored to the same RACC for that food category rather than to the maker's own packaging choice. Choosing a RACC-based serving size correctly also determines your servings per container, which flows directly into total calories and every %DV figure on the panel.
A full walkthrough — how to find the right RACC category for your product, converting gram RACCs into household measures, and what changes when a package is a single-serving container — is coming soon to this guide.
This guide explains FDA’s labeling rules in plain language. It isn’t legal advice — when in doubt, check with your state department of agriculture or a food-labeling attorney.