Peanut Butter Labels: FDA Standard, Stir vs No-Stir, Oil, Sugar and Salt
A peanut butter jar has less on it than most pantry labels, but the words still matter. “Peanut butter” is a name with a federal standard behind it, and the ingredient list shows whether anything besides peanuts went in: oil, sugar, salt. This guide covers what FDA’s standard says, how to read the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts panel, and where stir and no-stir fit in. Our worked example is the one peanut butter we carry, Santa Cruz Organic Creamy Dark Roasted Peanut Butter.
How we wrote this: the label details come from the manufacturer’s front, back and nutrition panel photos for the 16 oz (454 g) glass jar, shown on the Hannaford product listing (viewed in October 2026). The rules come from FDA’s standard of identity for peanut butter, 21 CFR 164.150, and the peanut spread rule, 21 CFR 102.23, as published on eCFR. We describe what the label and the rules say. We have not tested this peanut butter, the label on your jar may differ, and this is not diet or medical advice.
Step 1: The name “peanut butter”
In the United States, “peanut butter” is a standardized name. FDA’s standard says peanut butter is the food made by grinding shelled, roasted peanuts, either blanched or unblanched (with the skins and germ left on). Safe and suitable seasoning and stabilizing ingredients may be added, but FDA’s standard says these “do not in the aggregate exceed 10 percent of the weight of the finished food.”
It follows from that 10% cap that at least 90% of the weight of anything sold as peanut butter is peanuts. The rule states the cap, not a 90% figure, but the math is the same.
The standard has a few more parts worth knowing:
- Fat cap. FDA’s standard says the fat content of the finished food “shall not exceed 55 percent.” The oil content may be adjusted by adding or removing peanut oil.
- Chunky. Chopped roasted peanuts may be added, which is how chunky and crunchy styles fit inside the same standard.
- Skins on. If the peanuts are unblanched, the name has to say so, for example “prepared from unblanched peanuts (skins left on)”, placed next to “peanut butter” in type at least half the size.
- Ingredients declared. All ingredients have to be listed on the label under FDA’s general labeling rules.
The section dates back to 1977 and was most recently amended in 2023, according to its eCFR source note.
Step 2: What cannot go in
FDA’s standard is direct about this: “artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners, chemical preservatives, and color additives are not suitable ingredients in peanut butter.”
The standard does not list sugar or salt by name. They fall under the general category of seasoning ingredients, which the standard allows as long as they are safe and suitable and stay within the 10% cap together with any stabilizers. So a jar called peanut butter can contain sugar, salt or both, and the ingredient list is where you find out.
Step 3: “Peanut spread” is a different name
If a product has more non-peanut ingredients than the standard allows, it cannot be called peanut butter. That case is covered by a separate rule, 21 CFR 102.23, not by 164.150. It says a spreadable peanut product that does not meet the peanut butter standard and is more than 10 percent nonpeanut ingredients must be called “peanut spread”, together with the percentage of peanuts by weight, stated in 5 percent steps.
So if you see “peanut spread” on a jar, look for that percentage on the label. Our example jar is named “peanut butter” on its front panel.
Step 4: The ingredient list
This is the most useful line on the jar. The Santa Cruz back panel reads, as printed:
“ORGANIC ROASTED PEANUTS, CONTAINS 1% OR LESS OF SALT.”
That is two ingredients. There is no added oil, no stabilizer and no sweetener in the list. When you compare other jars, these are the words to look for:
- Peanuts only, or peanuts and salt. The shortest lists you will find.
- A sweetener, such as sugar, molasses or honey. These count as seasonings under the standard and show up in the added sugars line of the panel.
- An added oil. FDA’s standard says “oil products used as optional stabilizing ingredients must be hydrogenated vegetable oils.” If a jar lists a hydrogenated vegetable oil, that is a stabilizer the standard allows within the 10% cap.
- Salt. Often listed as “contains 1% or less of salt” or similar, and reflected in the sodium line.
Step 5: Stir vs no-stir
FDA’s standard says nothing about stir or no-stir peanut butter. Neither term is defined in 164.150, so a “no-stir” or “natural” claim on a jar is the brand’s own wording, not a federal category. What the standard does control is what the added ingredients can be and how much of them there can be.
The practical way to tell what you are buying is the ingredient list from Step 4. For our example jar, the label photos we looked at carry no stirring or storage wording on the front or back panel. The review site Sporked notes that this jar has an oily, rustic texture, and it warns against the brand’s separate no-stir version, preferring this one.
Step 6: Sugar and salt on the Nutrition Facts panel
The panel on the jar lists about 14 servings, with a serving size of 2 Tbsp (32 g). Per serving, it says:
| Line | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 180 | |
| Total Fat | 16 g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g | 11% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 50 mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 6 g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g | 10% |
| Total Sugars | 1 g | |
| Includes Added Sugars | 0 g | 0% |
| Protein | 9 g |
The panel also lists vitamin D 0 mcg (0%), calcium 32 mg (2%), iron 1 mg (4%), potassium 247 mg (6%), vitamin E 2 mg (15%) and niacin 6 mg (40%).
Two lines answer the sugar and salt questions. Includes Added Sugars separates sugar put in during making from sugar that comes with the peanuts; here it is 0 g, while total sugars is 1 g. Sodium shows how much the salt adds; here it is 50 mg per serving. When you compare jars, use the same 2 Tbsp serving and read these two lines side by side. For how serving sizes and %DV work on any food, see how to read a Nutrition Facts label.
Step 7: Seals and the rest of the jar
The front panel shows “SANTA CRUZ organic”, “Creamy”, “DARK ROASTED PEANUT BUTTER” and “NET WT 16 OZ (1 LB) 454g”, with a “180 CALORIES PER 2 TBSP” callout, the USDA Organic seal and the Non-GMO Project Verified mark. The back panel adds:
- “CERTIFIED ORGANIC BY QUALITY ASSURANCE INTERNATIONAL”, which names the certifier. The USDA Organic Integrity Database lists The J. M. Smucker Company LLC of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, certified by QAI, with peanut butter on its handling list, so this jar is made by a USDA-certified organic handler. We cover that check in our USDA organic pantry picks.
- The maker: “THE J.M. SMUCKER COMPANY ORRVILLE, OH 44667 USA”.
- A “GLUTEN free” mark, which is a label claim by the brand.
- “GLASS JAR”, a packaging note.
The brand’s product description says the jar is “made from certified USDA Organic dark roasted peanuts and a dash of salt” and that it has “No hydrogenated oils, no added sugar, and no artificial ingredients.” The brand also says it is Non-GMO Project Verified and gluten free. For what those two seals mean side by side, see our Non-GMO Project Verified vs USDA Organic guide.
Allergen note: peanuts are a major food allergen. Anyone with a peanut allergy should not eat this product. Check your own jar’s label for current allergen and facility wording.
Quick checklist
- Name: “peanut butter” (at least 90% peanuts by weight under FDA’s 10% cap) or “peanut spread” with a peanut percentage?
- Ingredients: peanuts only, or added sugar, salt or hydrogenated oil?
- Added sugars: what does the panel say per 2 Tbsp?
- Sodium: how many milligrams per serving?
- Stir or no-stir: ignore the front wording and read the ingredient list.
- Seals: which body certifies each one?
FAQ
How much of peanut butter has to be peanuts?
FDA’s standard caps added seasoning and stabilizing ingredients at 10% of the finished weight, so at least 90% is peanuts.
Does FDA define “no-stir” or “natural” peanut butter?
No. 21 CFR 164.150 does not mention stirring. It does say that oils added as stabilizers must be hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Can peanut butter contain sugar?
Yes, as a seasoning within the 10% cap. The added sugars line on the panel shows how much. Our example jar lists 0 g added sugars per serving.
What is the difference between peanut butter and peanut spread?
Peanut spread is a product with more than 10% nonpeanut ingredients. Under 21 CFR 102.23 it must be named “peanut spread” and state its percentage of peanuts.
Where to go next
See the product page for Santa Cruz Organic Creamy Dark Roasted Peanut Butter, or read another pantry label in our olive oil label guide. To see how this jar reads next to an almond butter, see almond butter vs peanut butter.