Bilingual Nutrition Labels: Requirements and Best Practices

Quick Answer

Bilingual English/Spanish nutrition labels are mandatory only in Puerto Rico (under Puerto Rico Department of Health Regulation 6090) — not in the 50 U.S. states. The FDA permits voluntary bilingual labels under 21 CFR 101.15(c), provided all required information appears in both languages with equal prominence. Many manufacturers add Spanish voluntarily to serve the 60+ million U.S. Hispanic consumers — the fastest-growing food market segment. Required Spanish terminology includes "Información Nutricional" (header), "Porción" (serving size), "Calorías" (calories), "Azúcares Añadidos" (added sugars), "Vitamina D," and standardized translations for all required nutrients.

Bilingual English/Spanish nutrition labels serve a dual purpose: meeting Puerto Rico\'s legal mandate AND accessing the 60+ million U.S. Hispanic consumer market. While the 50 states don\'t require bilingual labels, voluntary bilingual adoption is increasingly common — particularly for products distributed through Hispanic-focused retailers like HEB, Northgate, and La Michoacana.

When Bilingual Is Required

Only one U.S. jurisdiction mandates bilingual labels: Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Department of Health Regulation 6090 requires all food products sold in Puerto Rico to display both English and Spanish on labels — including the Nutrition Facts panel, ingredient list, and allergen disclosure. Products distributed only in the 50 states are not required to add Spanish.

When Bilingual Is a Strategic Choice

Many manufacturers add Spanish voluntarily for one of three reasons:

Hispanic market reach. 19% of U.S. consumers identify as Hispanic or Latino — over 60 million people. Bilingual labels signal product accessibility to Spanish-preferring consumers.
Hispanic retailer distribution. Retailers like HEB (Texas), Northgate Market (California), and La Michoacana require or strongly prefer bilingual labels for products targeting their core demographic.
Cross-border trade. Products distributed in border states (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California) often serve Mexican as well as U.S. consumers and benefit from bilingual labels.

FDA-Standardized Spanish Terminology

The FDA uses neutral Latin American Spanish in its example labels and guidance materials. Standard translations for required nutrition terminology:

English	Spanish
Nutrition Facts	Información Nutricional
Serving Size	Tamaño de la Porción
Calories	Calorías
Total Fat	Grasa Total
Saturated Fat	Grasa Saturada
Trans Fat	Grasa Trans
Cholesterol	Colesterol
Sodium	Sodio
Total Carbohydrate	Carbohidrato Total
Dietary Fiber	Fibra Dietética
Total Sugars	Azúcares Totales
Added Sugars	Azúcares Añadidos
Protein	Proteínas
Vitamin D	Vitamina D
Calcium	Calcio
Iron	Hierro
Potassium	Potasio

Layout Options

Two FDA-approved approaches for bilingual labels:

Side-by-side columns. English on the left, Spanish on the right (or vice versa). Label width approximately doubles compared to single-language vertical. Most common for medium-to-large packages.
Stacked (vertical). English information stacked above Spanish (or alternating). Label height approximately doubles. More common for narrow packages where horizontal width is constrained.

Both languages must use equivalent font sizes and weights — the FDA explicitly requires that neither language be visually de-emphasized. Both columns must reflect the 2020 updates (Added Sugars, Vitamin D, Potassium, 22-point calorie font).

Generate a Bilingual Label Free

Our bilingual generator handles all FDA-standardized Spanish translations automatically. You enter nutritional values once; the tool generates a dual-language label with proper formatting, terminology, and 2020 rule compliance. For full bilingual label format details, see our bilingual variant page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bilingual labels required in the U.S.?

Not in the 50 states — single-language English labels are FDA-compliant nationwide. However, Puerto Rico requires bilingual (English/Spanish) labels on food products under Puerto Rico Department of Health Regulation 6090. Many manufacturers voluntarily add Spanish for the U.S. Hispanic consumer market.

What standardized Spanish translations does the FDA accept?

The FDA uses neutral Latin American Spanish in its example labels and guidance. Standard terms: "Información Nutricional" (Nutrition Facts), "Porción" (serving size), "Calorías" (calories), "Grasa Total" (total fat), "Grasa Saturada" (saturated fat), "Sodio" (sodium), "Carbohidrato Total" (total carbohydrate), "Fibra Dietética" (dietary fiber), "Azúcares Totales" (total sugars), "Azúcares Añadidos" (added sugars), "Proteínas" (protein), "Vitamina D" (vitamin D), "Calcio" (calcium), "Hierro" (iron), "Potasio" (potassium).

How do bilingual labels handle layout?

Two FDA-approved approaches. Side-by-side: English column on the left, Spanish column on the right (or vice versa) — roughly doubles the label width. Stacked: English information stacked above Spanish (or alternating) — roughly doubles the label height. Both languages must use equivalent font sizes; one cannot visually de-emphasize the other.

Does the FDA 2020 update apply to Spanish translations?

Yes — both English and Spanish columns must reflect FDA 2020 changes: Added Sugars (Azúcares Añadidos), Vitamin D (Vitamina D), Potassium (Potasio), updated Daily Values, and 22-point calorie font. The Spanish footnote translates to: "El % Valor Diario te indica cuánto un nutriente en una porción de alimento contribuye a la dieta diaria. 2,000 calorías al día se usan para asesoramiento nutricional general."

Why do Puerto Rico labels have different requirements?

Puerto Rico Department of Health Regulation 6090 requires all food labels to be in both English and Spanish. The format requirements align with FDA 21 CFR 101.9 for nutrition information, but additional ingredient and allergen information must also appear in Spanish. Products distributed only in the 50 states don't need bilingual labels; products entering Puerto Rico do.

Can I use Spanish-only labels for export?

For products exported to Mexico, Spain, Central or South America: yes, single-language Spanish labels following the local regulator's requirements (COFEPRIS in Mexico, ANVISA in Brazil, etc.) are appropriate. For products sold in the U.S., FDA requires English; bilingual or Spanish-with-English-equivalent is permitted.