Last verified 21 Sept 2026 · generated from 21 CFR 101.9(b) and 101.12(b) by the NutriLabels serving engine · Sources
Pesto serving size: 1/4 cup (63g). FDA files pesto under “Minor main entree sauces (e.g., pizza sauce, pesto sauce, Alfredo sauce), other sauces used as toppings (e.g., gravy, white sauce, cheese sauce), cocktail sauce”, whose reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) is 1/4 cup. The serving on your Nutrition Facts panel is the household measure closest to that reference amount, written as the measure followed by its metric weight.
The gram weight follows what the market actually declares: 42 of 50 pesto products in USDA’s FoodData Central Branded Foods database (84%) print 1/4 cup (63 g). Your own product’s weight of 1/4 cup is what goes on the label; the app asks you to weigh it so the number is yours.
The declaration
| FDA category | Minor main entree sauces (e.g., pizza sauce, pesto sauce, Alfredo sauce), other sauces used as toppings (e.g., gravy, white sauce, cheese sauce), cocktail sauce |
| Reference amount (RACC) | 1/4 cup |
| FDA label statement | 1/4 cup (__ g); 1/4 cup (60 mL) |
| Serving size declaration | 1/4 cup (63g) (market convention, weigh to confirm) |
| Single-serving container | Any package under 120 g (4.2 oz) is one serving: the whole package is the serving size (21 CFR 101.9(b)(6)). |
| Dual-column panel | Packages holding 120 g–180 g (4.2 oz–6.3 oz) must show a second column for the whole package (21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)). |
Servings per container
| Package | Serving size | Servings per container |
|---|---|---|
| 8 oz (227 g) | 1/4 cup (63g) | about 3.5 |
| 12 oz (340 g) | 1/4 cup (63g) | about 5 |
| 16 oz (454 g) | 1/4 cup (63g) | about 7 |
| 24 oz (680 g) | 1/4 cup (63g) | about 11 |
| 32 oz (907 g) | 1/4 cup (63g) | about 14 |
Servings are rounded exactly as 21 CFR 101.9(b)(8) requires: to the nearest whole number, except between 2 and 5 servings, which round to the nearest half; “about” marks any rounding.
What this means for your label
- Declare the serving as 1/4 cup followed by its weight in grams, for example “1/4 cup (63g)”.
- Cups are written in 1/4- or 1/3-cup steps; tablespoons as 1, 1 1/3, 1 1/2, 1 2/3, 2 or 3; teaspoons as 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1 or 2 (21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(i)). Any other increment is not permitted.
- A package under 120 g is one serving no matter what: the panel reads “1 serving per container” and the serving size is the whole package.
- All the nutrient values on the panel are per this serving, rounded by 21 CFR 101.9(c). Change the serving and every number changes with it.
Free to build and preview. The print-ready label is $29 for one product, with the serving size, ingredient statement and allergen declaration worked out from the regulation.
Also covers
alfredo sauce · gravy · cheese sauce · white sauce · topping sauce · chimichurri · tikka masala sauce, topping · hot honey · aioli, topping · beurre blanc · bechamel · romesco · tahini sauce: all filed under the same FDA category, so the same serving applies.
Related serving sizes
- Pizza sauce: 1/4 cup (63g)
Sources
- 21 CFR 101.12: Reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion (Table 2).
- 21 CFR 101.9(b), serving size: (b)(2) the three procedures, (b)(5) how the measure is written, (b)(6) single-serving containers, (b)(8) servings per container, (b)(12) dual column.