Mandatory declarations - The
Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011
Labelling Requirements
1.
In English or in Hindi
(Devnagri script) (any other language can be used in addition to these);
2.
Not to be false, misleading or deceptive
or likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character;
3.
Applied in such manner that it
cannot be separated from the container;
4.
Clear, prominent, indelible and
readily legible by the consumer;
5.
Where the container is covered
by a wrapper, the wrapper shall carry the necessary information or the label on
the container shall be readily legible through the outer wrapper and not
obscured by it;
6.
Name of Food: include trade name or
description of food contained in the package.
7.
List of Ingredients: Except for single
ingredient foods, a list of ingredients shall be declared on the label in the
following manner:—
a)
The list of ingredients shall
contain an appropriate title, such as the term “Ingredients”;
b)
The name of Ingredients used in
the product shall be listed in descending order of their composition by weight
or volume, as the case may be, at the time of its manufacture;
c)
A specific name shall be used
for ingredients in the list of Ingredients;
d)
Provided that for Ingredients
falling in the respective classes, the following class titles may be used,
namely:–
All spices and
condiments and their extracts: Spices and
condiments or mixed spices/ condiments as appropriate.
e)
Note:
(i)
When an ingredient itself is
the product of two or more ingredients, such a compound ingredients shall be
declared in the list of ingredients, and shall be accompanied by a list, in
brackets, of its ingredients in descending order of weight or volume.
(ii)
Added water shall be declared
in the list of ingredients except in cases where water forms part of an
ingredient, such as, brine, syrup or broth, used in the compound food and so
declared in the list of ingredients.
(iii) Every package of food sold as a mixture or combination shall
disclose the percentage of the ingredient used at the time of the manufacture
of the food (including compound ingredients or categories of ingredients), if
such ingredient–
§ is emphasised as present on the label through words or pictures or
graphics; or
§ is not within the name of the food but, is essential to characterise
the food and is expected to be present in the food by consumers, and if the
omission of the quantitative ingredient declaration will mislead or deceive the
consumer.
Provided that where the ingredient has been used as flavouring
agent, the disclosure of such ingredient is not required.
8.
Nutritional Information : Nutritional
Information or nutritional facts per 100 gm or 100ml or per serving of the
product shall be given on the label containing the following:—
a)
energy value in kcal;
b)
the amounts of protein,
carbohydrate (specify quantity of sugar) and fat in gram (g) or ml;
c)
the amount of any other
nutrient for which a nutrition or health claim is made:
Provided that where a claim is made regarding the amount or type of
fatty acids or the amount of cholesterol, the amount of saturated fatty acids,
monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in gram (g) and
cholesterol in milligram (mg) shall be declared, and the amount of trans fatty
acid in gram (g) shall be declared in addition to the other requirement
stipulated above;
d)
Wherever, numerical information
on vitamins and minerals is declared, it shall be expressed in metric units;
e)
Where the nutrition declaration
is made per serving, the amount in gram (g) or milliliter (ml) shall be included
for reference beside the serving measure;
Provided that the food claimed to be enriched with nutrients, such
as, minerals, proteins, vitamins, metals or their compounds, amino acids or
enzymes shall give the quantities of such added nutrients on the label.
Provided that the nutritional information may not be necessary, in
case of foods such as raw agricultural commodities, like, wheat, rice, cereals,
spices, spice mixes, herbs, condiments, table salt,
sugar, jaggery, or non –nutritive products, like, soluble tea, coffee, soluble
coffee, coffee-chicory mixture, packaged drinking water, packaged mineral
water, alcoholic beverages or fruit and vegetables, processed and pre- packaged
assorted vegetables, fruits, vegetables and products that comprise of single
ingredient, pickles, papad, or foods served for immediate consumption such as
served in hospitals, hotels or by food services vendors or halwais, or food
shipped in bulk which is not for sale in that form to consumers.
f)
The food, in which hydrogenated
vegetable fats or bakery shortening is used shall declare on the label that
‘hydrogenated vegetable fats or bakery shortening used- contains trans fats;
Provided further that, a health claim of ‘trans fat free’ may be
made in cases where the trans fat is less than 0.2 gm per serving of food and
the claim ‘saturated fat free’ may be made in cases where the saturated fat
does not exceed 0.1 gm per 100 gm or 100 ml of food.
9.
Declaration regarding Veg or non-Veg:
a)
Every package of “Non
Vegetarian” food shall bear a declaration to this effect made by a symbol. The
symbol shall consist of a brown colour filled circle having a diameter not less
than the minimum size specified in the Table below, inside a square with brown
outline having sides double the diameter of the circle.
b)
Where any article of food
contains egg only as Non-Vegetarian ingredient, the manufacturer, or packer or
seller may give declaration to this effect in addition to the said symbol.
c)
Every package of Vegetarian
Food shall bear a declaration to this effect by a symbol. The symbol shall
consist of a green colour filled circle, having a diameter not less than the
minimum size specified in the Table below, inside the square with green outline
having size double the diameter of the circle.
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Sl.No.
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Area of Principal
Display Panel
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Minimum size of
diameters in mm
|
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1.
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Upto
100 cms. Square.
|
3
|
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2.
|
Above
100 cms. square upto 500 cms square.
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4
|
|
3.
|
Above
500 cms square upto 2500 cms square.
|
6
|
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4.
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Above
2500 cms. Square.
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8
|
The symbol shall be prominently displayed
(i)
on the package having contrast
background on principal display panel;
(ii)
just close in proximity to the
name or brand name of the product;
(iii) on the labels, containers, pamphlets, leaflets, advertisements in
any media.
Shall not apply in
respect of mineral water or packaged drinking water or carbonated water or
alcoholic drinks, or liquid milk and milk powders.
10. Declaration regarding food
activities
a)
For food additives falling in
the respective classes and appearing in lists of food additives permitted for
use in foods generally, the following class titles shall be used together with
the specific names or recognized international numerical identifications:
Acidity Regulator, Acids,
Anticaking Agent, Antifoaming Agent, Antioxidant, Bulking Agent, Colour, Colour
Retention Agent, Emulsifier, Emulsifying Salt, Firming Agent, Flour Treatment
Agent, Flavour Enhancer, Foaming Agent, Gelling Agent, Glazing Agent,
Humectant, Preservative, Propellant, Raising Agent, Stabilizer, Sweetener,
Thickener.
b)
Addition of colors and/or
flavors
Extraneous addition of colouring matter to be mentioned on the label
– Where an extraneous colouring matter has been added to any article of food,
there shall be displayed one of the following of food so coloured, namely:
CONTAINS
PERMITTED NATURAL COLOUR(S)
OR
CONTAINS
PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S)
OR
CONTAINS
PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S)
Provided that where such a statement is displayed along with the
name or INS no of the food colour, the colour used in the product need not be
mentioned in the list of ingredients.
Extraneous addition of flavouring agents to be mentioned on the
label - Where an extraneous flavouring agent has been added to any article of
food, there shall be written just beneath the list of ingredients on the label
attached to any package of food so flavoured, a statement in capital letters as
below :
CONTAINS ADDED FLAVOUR
(specify type of flavouring agent as per Regulation 3.1.10(1) of
Food Safety and Standards
(Food product standards and food additive) Regulation, 2011
In case both colour and flavour are used in the product, one of the
following combined statements in capital letters shall be displayed, just
beneath the list of ingredients on the label attached to any package of food so
coloured and flavoured, namely :—
CONTAINS
PERMITTED NATURAL C0LOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S)
OR
CONTAINS
PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S)
OR
CONTAINS
PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S)
Provided that in case of
artificial flavouring substances, the label shall declare the common name of
the flavours, but in case of the natural flavouring substances or nature
identical flavouring substances, the class name of flavours shall be mentioned
on the label and it shall comply with the requirement of label declaration as
specified above.
11. Name and complete address
of the manufacturer
a)
The name and complete address
of the manufacturer and the manufacturing unit if these are located at
different places and in case the manufacturer is not the packer or bottler, the
name and complete address of the packing or bottling unit as the case may be
shall be declared on every package of food;
b)
Where an article of food is
manufactured or packed or bottled by a person or a company under the written
authority of some other manufacturer or company, under his or its brand name,
the label shall carry the name and complete address of the manufacturing or
packing or bottling unit as the case may be, and also the name and complete
address of the manufacturer or the company, for and on whose behalf it is
manufactured or packed or bottled;
c)
Where an article of food is
imported into India, the package of food shall also carry the name and complete
address of the importer in India.
Provided further that where
any food article manufactured outside India is packed or bottled in India, the
package containing such food article shall also bear on the label, the name of
the country of origin of the food article and the name and complete
address of the importer and the premises of packing or bottling in India.
12. Net Quantity
a)
Net quantity by weight or
volume or number, as the case may be, shall be declared on every package of
food; and
b)
In addition to the declaration
of net quantity, a food packed in a liquid medium shall carry a declaration of
the drained weight of the food.
In declaring the net quantity of the commodity contained in the
package, the weight of the wrappers and packaging materials shall be excluded.
13. Lot/Code/Batch
identification
a)
A batch number or code number
or lot number which is a mark of identification by which the food can be traced
in the manufacture and identified in the distribution, shall be given on the
label.
Provided that in case of
packages containing bread and milk including sterilised milk, particulars under
this clause shall not be required to be given on the label.
14. Date of manufacture or
packing
a)
The date, month and year in
which the commodity is manufactured, packed or pre-packed, shall be given on
the label.
Provided that the month and the year of manufacture, packing or
pre-packing shall be given if the “Best Before Date” of the products is more
than three months:
Provided further that in
case any package contains commodity which has a short shelf life of less than
three months, the date, month and year in which the commodity is manufactured
or prepared or pre-packed shall be mentioned on the label.
15. Best Before and Use By
Date
a)
The month and year in capital
letters upto which the product is best for consumption, in the following
manner, namely:—
“BEST
BEFORE ....... MONTHS AND YEAR”
OR
“BEST
BEFORE .......... MONTHS FROM PACKAGING”
OR
“BEST
BEFORE ............MONTHS FROM MANUFACTURE”
(Note: — blank be filled up)
b)
In case of package or bottle
containing sterilised or Ultra High Temperature treated milk, soya milk,
flavoured milk, any package containing bread, dhokla, bhelpuri, pizza,
doughnuts, khoa, paneer, or any uncanned package of fruits, vegetable, meat,
fish or any other like commodity, the declaration be made as follows:
“BEST
BEFORE ……….DATE/MONTH/YEAR”
OR
“BEST
BEFORE........DAYS FROM PACKAGING”
OR
“BEST
BEFORE …….. DAYS FROM MANUFACTURE”
Note: blanks be filled up, Month and year may be used in numerals,
Year may be given in two digits
c)
On packages of Aspartame,
instead of Best Before date, Use by date/recommended last consumption
date/expiry date shall be given, which shall not be more than three years from
the date of packing;
d)
In case of infant milk substitute and infant
foods instead of Best Before date, Use by date/ recommended last consumption
date/expiry date shall be given,
Provided further that the declaration of best before date for
consumption shall not be applicable to
(i) wines and liquors
(ii) alcoholic beverages containing 10 percent or more by volume of
alcohol.
16. Country of Origin for
Imported Food
a)
The country of origin of the
food shall be declared on the label of food imported into India.
b)
When a food undergoes
processing in a second country which changes its nature, the country in which
the processing is performed shall be considered to be the country of origin for
the purposes of labelling.
17. Instructions for Use: Where applicable.
Area of the principal
display panel
“Principal Display Panel”
means that part of the container/package which is intended or likely to be displayed
or presented or shown or examined by the customer under normal and customary
conditions of display, sale or purchase of the commodity contained therein.
The area of principal Display panel shall not be less than —
a)
In the case of a rectangular
container, forty percent of the product of height and width of the panel of
such container having the largest area;
b)
In case of cylindrical or
nearly cylindrical, round or nearly round, oval or nearly oval container,
twenty percent of the product of the height and average circumference of such
container; or
c)
In the case of container of any
other shape, twenty percent of the total surface area of the container except
where there is label, securely affixed to the container, such label shall give
a surface area of not less than ten percent of the total surface area of the
container.
Provided that in the case of package having a capacity of five cubic
centimeters or less, the principal display panel may be card or tape affixed
firmly to the package or container and bearing the required information under
these regulations.
Height of numeral in the
declaration
The height of any numeral required under these regulations, on the
principal display panel shall not be less than—
If net quantity is declared in weight or volume
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Sl.No.
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Weight/Volume
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Minimum height of numeral in mm
|
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Normal case
|
When blown, formed moulded, or perforated on container
|
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1.
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Upto 50g/ml
|
1
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2
|
|
2.
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Above 50g/ml upto 200g/ml
|
2
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4
|
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3.
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Above 200 g/ml upto 1 kg/litre
|
4
|
6
|
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4.
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Above 1 kg/litre
|
6
|
8
|
The height of letters in the declaration shall not be less than 1
mm height when blown, formed, moulded, embossed or perforated, the height
of letters shall not be less than 2mm.
Provided that the width of the letter or numeral shall not be less
than one-third of its height, but this proviso shall not apply in the case of numeral
“I” and letters i, I& I.
