The chart below provides guidance for converting the unit of measure for certain nutrients to the form displayed on updated Nutrition Facts labels.
Last updated March 31, 2025
Nutrients |
Current Daily Value (DV) Unit |
IU Conversion |
New DV Unit |
New Unit Conversions |
| Folic Acid | mcg folic acid | - |
mcg DFE (Dietary Folate Equivalents) |
Naturally occurring folates (bioavailability ~50%): 1 mcg DFE = 1 mcg folate Synthetic folic acid (bioavailability ~85%): 1 mcg DFE = 0.6 mcg folic acid |
| Niacin | mg niacin | - |
mg NE (Niacin Equivalents) |
Various sources of niacin: 1 mg NE = 1 mg niacin 1 mg NE = 1 mg niacinamide 1 mg NE = 1 mg inositol nicotinate 1 mg NE = 60 mg tryptophan |
| Vitamin A | IU vitamin A |
1 IU = 0.3 mcg retinol 1 IU = 0.6 mcg beta-carotene |
mcg RAE (Retinol Activity Equivalents) |
Pre-formed vitamin A (retinol): 1 mcg RAE = 1 mcg retinol Provitamin A carotenoids: 1 mcg RAE = 2 mcg beta-carotene (supplemental) 1 mcg RAE = 12 mcg beta-carotene (dietary) 1 mcg RAE = 24 mcg alpha-carotene 1 mcg RAE = 24 mcg beta-cryptoxanthin |
| Vitamin D | IU vitamin D | 1 IU = 0.025 mcg | mcg vitamin D | 1 mcg = 40 IU |
| Vitamin E | IU vitamin E |
1 IU = 0.67 mg of RRR-alpha-tocopherol 1 IU = 0.9 mg of all-rac-alpha-tocopherol |
mg vitamin E (as alpha-tocopherol) |
Natural vitamin E (RRR-alpha-tocopherol): 1 mg vitamin E = 1 mg RRR-alpha-tocopherol Synthetic vitamin E (all-rac-alpha-tocopherol): 1 mg vitamin E = 2 mg all-rac-alpha-tocopherol |
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Converting Units of Measure for Folate, Niacin, and Vitamins A, D, and E on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels: Guidance for Industry. August 2019. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-converting-units-measure-folate-niacin-and-vitamins-d-and-e-nutrition-and. Accessed April 18, 2025.
