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The Proprietary Blend Supplement Label: What Must Be Shown
A proprietary blend supplement label lists one total weight for a group of ingredients and names them from most to least by weight. It does not have to show each amount. That gives you a ceiling for every line, but never an exact dose.
Written by the Finessa label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The rule01
What does a proprietary blend supplement label have to show?
It must show the blend name, one total weight for the whole blend, and the ingredients in descending order of weight.
That is the rule in 21 CFR 101.36. The ingredients sit indented under the blend name. The number beside the name is the sum of all of them, and single amounts are not required (21 CFR 101.36 (proprietary blends)).
The Finessa panel follows this pattern: Polyphenol Blend 1,000 mg, Gut Health 755 mg, Liver Health Blend 450 mg, and a 52.5 mg Probiotic Blend. Each lists its parts and hides their shares.
The order02
What does the ingredient order tell you?
It tells you rank. An ingredient listed earlier weighs at least as much as one listed later (21 CFR 101.36 (proprietary blends)).
Line k in a blend can weigh at most the total divided by k, because every line above it weighs at least as much. The first line weighs at least the total divided by the number of lines. Both limits are our arithmetic on the label order, not a lab test.
Worked example03
How do you calculate a ceiling for a blend line?
Divide the blend total by the line's place in the list. The result is the most that line can weigh.
Take the Gut Health blend of 755 mg with five lines. Cascara sagrada is third, so it is at most 755 divided by 3, about 251 mg. These are ceilings, not measured amounts.
| Place | Label line | Weight per scoop |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beet root | At most about 1,000 mg · at least 111 mg |
| 2 | Black currant | At most about 500 mg |
| 3 | Pomegranate | At most about 333 mg |
| 4 | Raspberry | At most about 250 mg |
| 5 | Strawberry juice | At most about 200 mg |
| 6 | Cranberry | At most about 167 mg |
| 7 | Blueberry | At most about 143 mg |
| 8 | Purple carrot | At most about 125 mg |
| 9 | Acai berry | At most about 111 mg |
| Place | Label line | Weight per scoop |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cinnamon (cassia) | At most about 755 mg · at least 151 mg |
| 2 | Ginger | At most about 378 mg |
| 3 | Cascara sagrada 10:1 | At most about 252 mg |
| 4 | DGL licorice | At most about 189 mg |
| 5 | Fructooligosaccharides | At most about 151 mg |
| Place | Label line | Weight per scoop |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dandelion | At most about 450 mg · at least 90 mg |
| 2 | Turmeric | At most about 225 mg |
| 3 | Milk thistle | At most about 150 mg |
| 4 | Artichoke | At most about 112 mg |
| 5 | Silymarin 80% | At most about 90 mg |
A blend must list its parts from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (proprietary blends)). The panel prints four blend totals and 2 mg of Akkermansia: 1,000 + 755 + 450 + 52.5 + 2 = 2,259.5 mg a scoop. The tub says 3.38 oz (96 g) and the panel 50 servings, which is about 1.92 g a scoop, so the printed weights do not fit inside one scoop. We do not know which number is off. Ask for the lot certificate of analysis. This is our arithmetic from the label, not a lab test.
Finessa: from $39 a bottle50 scoops a tub · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 6 · 180-day guarantee
See packsThe limits04
What can a blend label not tell you?
It cannot tell you the real dose of any single ingredient, so you cannot compare it with a study.
A herb might sit anywhere from its ceiling to almost nothing. For probiotics, weight in mg says nothing about live cells (NIH ODS, Probiotics fact sheet (CFU, label)).
The Finessa panel adds a bigger gap. The four blends and the Akkermansia line add to 2,259.5 mg a scoop, yet 96 g over 50 servings is about 1.92 g a scoop. We do not know which number is off. Read the Supplement Facts breakdown and ask for the lot's certificate of analysis.
Using it05
How should you shop with a blend label in hand?
Treat every blend line as a ceiling, and compare products by order and total, not by the number of ingredients named.
- Ask whether the maker publishes a certificate of analysis.
- Check the cautions of each herb, since the dose is unknown.
- Keep taking prescribed medicine and tell your pharmacist about any new powder.
The how it works page walks through the same sums with the Finessa panel.
Want to try Finessa? Six bottles ship free in the US, and every pack carries the 180-day guarantee.
Prices on the sales page, October 18, 2026 (Finessa sales page). Check your medicines with your doctor first.
FAQ06
Questions about blend labels
Is a proprietary blend illegal?
No. The rule lets a maker print a blend total and list the parts by weight without single amounts (21 CFR 101.36 (proprietary blends)). The weakness is for buyers, who cannot see how much of each part they get.
Can you add up blend weights to check a label?
Yes. Add the blend totals and compare them with the scoop weight. On Finessa the totals reach 2,259.5 mg, while the tub implies about 1.92 g a scoop, so a number is off (FDA, Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Ch. IV Nutrition Labeling).
Who wrote this07
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Gofinessa, a U.S. stocking partner for Finessa, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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