What “% Daily Value” means on a food label
The words below are the regulation's own. They are quoted exactly from the United States Code of Federal Regulations.
The definition
The footnote shall state: “*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”
The percent shall be calculated by dividing either the amount declared on the label for each nutrient or the actual amount of each nutrient (i.e., before rounding) by the DRV for the nutrient, except that the percent for protein shall be calculated as specified in paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of this section.
Limits are personal and can change. Use the figures your own doctor or dietitian gave you.
Plain facts about this rule
“DRV” in the quote stands for Daily Reference Value, one of the two kinds of Daily Value in the regulation.
The % Daily Value on a pack is a share of the label's reference figure, which is the same on every pack. It is not a share of a limit you were given. The share shown on this site is a share of the figure you entered, and of nothing else.
The reference figures are listed on the Daily Values page.
Source
- Text used:
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), Title 21, Part 101, as in force on 6 October 2026
- Checked on:
- 11 October 2026