The Nutritional Panel for Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the same for any extra virgin olive oil, and you probably don’t need it.

The picture above, is an example of what the nutritional label should look like for extra virgin olive oil.  No matter what variety, or where you are in the world, it’s always the same because the ingredient is the same: extra virgin olive oil.  Therefore, it’s commonly referred to as a commodity.

Nutritional panels are regulated by the FDA in the US – I’ve included several links below to gain additional information.

Unless you really feel it’s important to have a nutritional panel on your label, or maybe you are planning on taking your product nationally into every major gourmet food store and grocery chain (high-five, that’s awesome!), it’s not required for extra virgin olive oil.  Here are a couple reasons:

• FDA Small Business Exemption of Nutritional Labels – you qualify if you employ less than 100 full-time employees, and sell less than 100,000 units of an individual label in a year.  This includes darn-near everyone in the California industry.
• Exemption for raw produce – As quoted by the FDA “Nutrition labeling for raw produce (fruits and vegetables) and fish is voluntary. We refer to these products as “conventional” foods.”  Extra virgin olive oil being a raw product, falls into this category.

Here is a list of mandatory information that should appear on your label for any food product:

1. Statement of identity – identifying the contents
2. Net quantity of contents in two forms, most common for extra virgin olive is “fl oz” and “ml.”
3. Ingredient statement
4. Name and address of manufacturer, packer or distributor
5. Website (my recommendation purely for marketing, so that customers know where to buy more, how to contact you, and find out more about you and your awesome product)

Links:

Everything you need to know about nutritional labeling (FDA): click here
Food labeling guide (FDA): click here

Thank you, and good luck!

Dewey