FSSAI Labelling Regulations

 

 

 

 

 

FSSAI Regulations

Once you’ve obtained a food license, you may start business operations. When it comes to food items, complying with packaging and labelling requirements is essential for the consumer’s benefit. Let’s take a look at FSSAI’s regulations.

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What is packaging and labelling?

Food Packaging is the art and science of encasing food products to safeguard them during distribution, sale, and storage. It is also the process of designing and evaluating packages. Product packaging design not only lends aesthetic appeal but helps your products stand out from those of others.

It may bear a nutritional facts label and other information about food being offered for sale. A label displays information regarding the product, typically printed on the packaging. A label not only describes the product and its uses but also provides instructions and crucial precautionary measures (if any) that need to be taken care of. It essentially informs consumers of the properties of a product.

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Consequences of Violation

If food product packaging and labelling are not in compliance with the above laws, penalties shall follow depending on the nature of the offence. There is a serious penalty for anyone who violates the rules.

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What are FSSAI Regulations?

FSSAI Regulations are a comprehensive set of guidelines that all food product manufacturers and brands should follow. FSSAI imposes twelve primary labelling regulations for any food packaging. These are:

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Name of the food:

Name of the food/product is one of the first FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products. As the name suggests, the name of the food product should be in clear format on the packaged product in clear font.

• List of Ingredients:
  List of Ingredients means the elements which have been utilized for making the final product. It is very necessary that the manufacturer mentions all the ingredients fairly and do not cheat the end-consumer. The manufacturer can land in problem if tends to cheat the consumer.
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• Nutritional Information:
  Nutritional Information means the calories which gets from fats, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron present in the product. The calories are mentioned on all the products labels.
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• Declaration regarding Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian:
  India is land where the eating of non-vegetarian for some is against the religious practices. Hence, according to the FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products, the manufacturer on the label should mention whether the product is vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
  Whether the product is vegetarian or non-vegetarian can easily be known by just looking at the small sign present on the corner of the label. Green colour indicates the product being vegetarian and red colour indicates that the product is non-vegetarian.
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• Declaration regarding Food Additives:
  Food additives are substances which are added to food in order to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance. Hence, it is very necessary to give a declaration regarding the additives added on the label or the package.
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• Name and Address of the Manufacturer:
  In this, the name of the manufacturer and place of the manufacturing is usually mentioned. The manufacturer has to give complete address of his factory which includes street address, city, state, and zip code. Without mentioning any of these, products can be considered fake in the market.
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• Net Quantity:
  Net Quantity is also FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products. Net Quantity here refers to the weight of the product. The weight of the product and the packaging weight are usually combined together and then mentioned in the Net Quantity.
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• Code No./Lot No./Batch No:
  A batch number or code number or lot number is a mark of recognition through which the food can be found in the manufacture and even recognized in the distribution. Therefore, the Code No./Lot No./Batch No should be definitely mentioned by the manufacturer according to FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products.
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• Date of Manufacture and Best Before & Use By Date:
  The date of manufacture is when the product has been manufactured and Best Before & Use By Date means by what date and month should the product be consumed. If the product is consumed after expiry date, it usually can harm the health of the human.

The consumer also should check Date of Manufacture and Best Before & Use By Date before purchasing the product.

• • Country of Origin for Imported Food:
    The country of origin of goods means the nationality of imported goods and even refers to the area where such goods have grown up or have been produced, manufactured or processed.

According to the FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products, this also should be mentioned.

• • Instructions for Use:
    According to FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products, the Instructions for Use should be mandatorily mentioned. As the name suggests, it usually instructing or guiding the consumer on how to utilize the product.

Our laboratory conducts food testing for all nutritional parameters and is accredited by NABL for the testing of food samples. We are experienced in nutritional analysis of packaged food products like –

• • Dietary supplements
  • Protein powders
  • Health drinks
  • Infant formula
  • Biscuits and cookies
  • Cakes
  • Namkeen
  • Chips
  • Ready to eat foods
  • Cooked foods
  • Bakery products
  • Dairy products
  • Meat and meat products
  • Candies and sweets
  • Pickles, purées and pastes
  • Sauces

We provide consultation on the labelling requirements to help you ascertain the tests that need to be conducted and nutritional food testing services like –

• • Energy
  • Protein
  • Carbohydrate
  • Sugar
  • Fibre
  • Dietary fibre
  • Saturated Fatty Acids
  • Monounsaturated Fatty Acid
  • Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
  • Cholesterol
  • Vitamins – A,E,D,K,B,C
  • Minerals – Ca, Fe, Na, K, Zn, Mg, Mn, I, P, Se and many more
  • Amino acids
  • Fats
  • Trans Fats

Need expert assistance on food labelling? Sign up for a free consultation with Fogiene Sciences today.