Food Labeling Requirements for Dips and Spreads: FDA, CFIA and EU Rules (Including Sesame)
What a dip or hummus label must show in the US, Canada and the EU, and how ±0.5% volumetric filling and optional variable data coding on a rotary line (up to 30 cups per minute) keep net quantity and date codes right.
Food labeling requirements for dips and spreads share a core in the US (FDA, 21 CFR Part 101), Canada (CFIA) and the EU (Regulation 1169/2011): product name, ingredient list, allergen declaration, net quantity, nutrition information and the producer's name and address. Sesame from tahini must be declared in all three. Canada requires bilingual text; the EU requires 'use by' or 'best before' dates. The SDH-R's ±0.5% fill accuracy helps keep net quantity compliant.
- Fill-weight accuracy
- ±0.5% (servo-driven volumetric piston)
- Output
- Up to 30 cups/min (18-25 real-world)
- Standard cup sizes
- 4, 8, 10 and 16 oz (custom 2-32 oz)
- Coding and labeling options
- Variable data coding; top and side labeling integration
- Sanitation
- 304 stainless steel, tool-free strip-down, optional CIP
- Certifications
- CE, FDA-compliant food-contact materials, UL listed
Food labeling requirements for dips and spreads: what every label must carry
Food labeling requirements for dips and spreads are set by the regulator in each market you sell into, and they differ in ways that matter on a cup lid. The US (FDA), Canada (CFIA) and the EU each prescribe what a hummus, tzatziki, guacamole or nut-butter label must say, in which language, and how allergens appear. We build cup filling and sealing machines, so we also cover the packaging-line side.
Every compliant dip label has the same backbone: a statement of identity, net quantity, an ingredient list with allergens identified, nutrition information, the responsible business's name and address, and date and storage statements where required. For launch planning, see our guide on how to start a hummus business.
US food labeling requirements: FDA and 21 CFR Part 101
In the US, the FDA regulates packaged food labeling under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with detailed rules in 21 CFR Part 101. The FDA's food labeling and nutrition pages are the authoritative starting point for FDA food labeling requirements. Products with meat or poultry components generally fall under USDA FSIS instead. For a typical dip cup, the mandatory elements are:
- Statement of identity. The common name of the food. Sour cream and cream cheese also have federal standards of identity (21 CFR Parts 131 and 133).
- Net quantity. In the bottom portion of the principal display panel, in US customary and metric units, such as NET WT 8 OZ (227 g).
- Ingredient list. Descending order by weight, with preservatives named with their function, such as 'potassium sorbate (preservative)'.
- Major allergens. Declared under FALCPA as amended by the FASTER Act; see the sesame section below.
- Nutrition Facts panel. Serving sizes follow the reference amounts in 21 CFR 101.12. Limited small-business exemptions carry conditions.
- Name and place of business. Name, city, state and ZIP code of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.
Federal law generally does not require date labels except on infant formula, so 'Best if Used By' is usually voluntary, though states and retailers may require a date. Chilled dips are normally marked 'Keep Refrigerated'; confirm the wording and state rules for your product.
Sesame allergen labeling: tahini, hummus and the FASTER Act
Sesame allergen labeling matters most for hummus, baba ganoush, tahini sauces and dressings. In the US, sesame became the ninth major food allergen under the FASTER Act effective January 1, 2023, joining milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
Tahini is ground sesame, so any product containing it must declare the allergen. A US label can use a parenthetical in the ingredient list, such as 'tahini (sesame)', or a 'Contains: Sesame' statement next to it. Canada (priority allergens) and the EU (14 allergens) also include sesame. Canada accepts either format; the EU requires emphasis within the ingredient list, for example in bold.
Allergen labeling for dips beyond sesame
- Tzatziki, labneh, sour cream, cream cheese and queso dips: milk
- Aioli and some dressings: eggs
- Pesto and nut butters: tree nuts or peanuts
- Mustard sauces: a priority allergen in Canada and an EU allergen, but not a US major allergen
- Celery in seasoning blends: an EU allergen only
Check sub-ingredients too, which can carry allergens.
CFIA food labelling requirements in Canada
Canadian labelling rules sit across the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, enforced by the CFIA. Its food labelling for industry pages are the reference for CFIA food labelling requirements. For dips, the key points are:
- Bilingual labels. Most mandatory information must appear in English and French, with limited exceptions.
- Nutrition Facts table. Required on most prepackaged foods in a prescribed bilingual format.
- Front-of-package symbol. Foods reaching Health Canada's thresholds for saturated fat, sugars or sodium need a 'high in' symbol. The compliance date was January 1, 2026, so check whether a cream-based or salty dip is caught.
- Priority allergens. The list includes peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, milk, eggs, soy, wheat or triticale, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, mustard and sulphites.
- Durable life date. A 'best before' date is required when durable life is 90 days or less, with storage instructions such as refrigeration where they apply.
Net quantity is in metric units, alongside the dealer's name and Canadian address. See how we support Canadian food producers.
Get a configured SDH-R quote for your productSend your product, cup size and target cups per minute — we reply within 24 hours.
Request a quoteEU food labelling rules: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and the UK
In the EU, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 sets the EU food labelling rules for all prepacked food. Its Article 9 mandatory particulars for a dip include:
- The name of the food
- An ingredient list with the 14 listed allergens emphasised, for example in bold, italics or underline
- Net quantity in metric units
- A 'best before' date or, for highly perishable foods, a 'use by' date
- Special storage conditions, where needed
- The operator's name and address, or the importer's if outside the EU
- A nutrition declaration per 100 g
The 14 allergens are cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Text needs a minimum x-height of 1.2 mm (0.9 mm on very small packs). Chilled dips are often labelled 'use by', but the choice depends on your own microbiological risk assessment.
Great Britain keeps a closely aligned framework under the Food Standards Agency; start with its packaging and labelling guidance. UK and EU rules are no longer identical, and Northern Ireland has its own arrangements.
US vs Canada vs EU food labeling requirements compared
Core dip label requirements by market (general summary; confirm details with the regulator)
| Requirement | United States (FDA) | Canada (CFIA) | EU (Regulation 1169/2011) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | English | English and French (limited exceptions) | Language easily understood in the country of sale |
| Sesame | Ninth major allergen since Jan 1, 2023 | Priority allergen | One of 14 allergens |
| Allergen format | 'Contains' statement or ingredient-list parenthetical | Ingredient list or 'Contains' statement | Emphasised in the ingredient list |
| Nutrition | Nutrition Facts panel | Bilingual Nutrition Facts table; 'high in' symbol where thresholds are met | Declaration per 100 g |
| Net quantity | Net weight, US customary and metric | Metric units | Metric units |
| Date marking | Generally voluntary | 'Best before' if durable life is 90 days or less | 'Use by' or 'best before' |
| Responsible business | Manufacturer, packer or distributor | Dealer in Canada | Operator, or EU importer |
Hummus nutrition label, ingredient names and 'fresh' claims
Hummus nutrition label: one recipe, three formats
A hummus nutrition label comes from a nutrient analysis of the recipe in each market's format. US and Canadian serving sizes follow regulatory reference amounts; the EU declaration is per 100 g. Because chickpeas, tahini and oil dominate the formula, changing the oil or tahini ratio shifts fat and calories enough that the label should be re-checked.
Garlic, lemon and flavor names
Ingredient names must reflect what is in the tub: 'garlic' and 'garlic powder', or 'lemon juice' and 'citric acid', are different ingredients. Variety names such as 'Roasted Garlic' or 'Lemon Herb' also invite characterizing-flavor rules in the US, so check that the named ingredient delivers the flavor.
Using 'fresh' on a dip label
In the US, 21 CFR 101.95 defines 'fresh' where it suggests a food is raw or unprocessed, a poor fit for a cooked-chickpea dip with a heat step or preservative. 'Refrigerated' is the safer descriptor; have a labeling advisor review any 'fresh' wording.
Net quantity, date codes and shelf-life statements on the cup
Net quantity in cups: weight, not cup size
Cup size describes the container; the label declares the food inside it. An 8 oz cup of dip is normally declared by weight, such as NET WT 8 OZ (227 g), and inspectors weigh sampled packs. In the US, state officials typically apply the NIST Handbook 133 procedure, which checks both the sample average and individual shortfalls.
That makes fill control a labeling issue. A volumetric filler dispenses a set volume, so net weight follows product density, which shifts with hydration, oil content, temperature and trapped air. The SDH-R's servo-driven volumetric piston filler holds ±0.5% fill-weight accuracy, about ±1.1 g on a 227 g fill when density is steady, and an optional weight checker with feedback loop catches drift.
Date codes and shelf-life statements
Print only dates your own testing supports. Nitrogen flushing can extend typical refrigerated shelf life from roughly 7 to 10 days to 30 to 45+ days (product-dependent), but that is a capability, not a label claim. See our guides on nitrogen flushing and dip shelf life and how long hummus lasts, and our MAP cup filler page.
How the packaging line supports food labeling compliance
A correct label still fails if the wrong film, lid or fill weight reaches the cup. On a rotary cup filling machine such as our SDH-R, built in Calgary and filling 50 g to 500 g at up to 30 cups per minute (18 to 25 real-world), these controls matter most.
Label requirements and the SDH-R feature or option that supports each
| Label requirement | SDH-R feature or option | Compliance benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Net quantity | Servo-driven volumetric piston at ±0.5% accuracy; optional weight checker with feedback loop | Contents held close to declared weight |
| Lot and date codes | Optional variable data coding devices | Traceability and date marking on each cup |
| Ingredient, allergen and nutrition text | Optional top and side labeling integration; membrane film, pre-die-cut or snap-on lids | Required text applied to or carried on the pack |
| Allergen cleaning | 304 stainless steel, tool-free strip-down, optional CIP, HMI recipe storage | Repeatable cleaning under your validated procedure |
Allergen changeover on a shared line
Sesame is the common case: a hummus run followed by a sesame-free dip. Treat it as an allergen changeover under your allergen control plan:
- Clear the line of the previous product, cups, film and printed lids.
- Strip down product-contact parts without tools and clean per your validated procedure, using the optional CIP system where fitted.
- Verify and record cleaning as your allergen control plan specifies.
- Load the new recipe on the HMI with the correct film, lids and coding data.
- Run a first-article check of fill weight, seal, code and label against approved artwork.
SKU changeover takes under about 15 minutes, but that covers a format and recipe change, not a validated allergen clean-down. We design the SDH-R to support plants operating under FSMA preventive controls, HACCP, BRCGS or SQF; it is not itself certified to those schemes. See certifications and compliance and our guide to packaging fresh dips.
Pre-launch checklist for food labeling requirements
Run this list before the first print run and whenever the recipe, supplier or market changes:
- Confirm target markets and the agencies, languages and units that apply.
- Settle the statement of identity and any standard of identity.
- Build the ingredient list from supplier specifications, including sub-ingredients.
- Map allergens per market: sesame everywhere, mustard for Canada and the EU, celery for the EU.
- Complete the nutrition analysis per market and check Canada's front-of-package thresholds.
- Set the net quantity declaration, fill target and weight verification plan.
- Define date and storage statements from validated shelf-life testing.
- Have the regulator or a labeling consultant review final artwork, and reconcile film, lids and labels at every changeover.
Requirements change, so verify against the current FDA, CFIA, EU and FSA pages linked above. To plan a line around your products, send us your product, cup size, target cups per minute and options; we reply within about 24 hours. See the SDH-R specifications or our hummus filling machine page, or call +1 (888) 922-7271.
Food Labeling Requirements for Dips and Spreads — Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Sesame is the ninth major US food allergen under the FASTER Act (effective January 1, 2023), a priority allergen in Canada and one of the EU's 14 allergens. Because tahini is ground sesame, a hummus cup must declare it, in the US as 'tahini (sesame)' in the ingredient list or in a 'Contains: Sesame' statement.
Federal law generally does not require date labels on food other than infant formula, so a 'Best if Used By' date on US hummus is usually voluntary, though some states and many retailers require one. Canada requires 'best before' when durable life is 90 days or less, and the EU requires 'use by' or 'best before'.
In most cases, yes. Canadian labels generally carry mandatory information, such as the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts table, in both English and French, with limited exceptions listed by the CFIA. Plan bilingual artwork early, because it affects label size and how much fits on a 4 oz or 8 oz cup.
'Use by' marks a safety limit for foods that are highly perishable from a microbiological point of view; the food should not be eaten after it. 'Best before' marks minimum durability, a quality date after which the food may still be safe. Chilled dips are often labelled 'use by', depending on the product's microbiological risk assessment.
Average contents must not fall below the declared quantity, and individual packs must stay within your market's allowable variation. The SDH-R fills to ±0.5%, roughly ±1.1 g on a 227 g (8 oz) cup when density is steady, and an optional weight checker with feedback loop can verify fill. See our servo cup filler page.
The SDH-R can be specified with variable data coding devices for lot numbers and dates, and with top and side labeling integration. The right option depends on whether you use membrane film, a pre-die-cut lid or a snap-on lid. Share your lid material and artwork needs with our engineering team.
Treat a change from a sesame-containing dip to a sesame-free product as an allergen changeover under your allergen control plan. The SDH-R's tool-free strip-down, 304 stainless steel and optional CIP system support cleaning, but your plant sets the validated procedure. SKU changeover is under about 15 minutes; allergen clean-down takes as long as validation requires.
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