Food Labelling Regulations in India

All prepackaged food items sold in India must meet the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011. Food Safety and Standards Regulation, 2011 was put out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which is part of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In this section, we’ll talk about how food must be labeled in India.

The FSSAI gives food licenses to companies that make and sell food all over India. An FSSAI license is needed by many people who work in the food business, such as traders, producers, and shop owners. FSSAI registration is important for everyone who owns a food business, so let’s talk about the different ways to register with FSSAI and how they work.

General FSSAI Labelling Requirements

All prepackaged food sold in India must meet the following labeling requirements:

• The label must be written in either English, Hindi, or Devnagri. In addition to the above, the title can also include information in any other language, if needed.
• The label can’t say anything about the food that could be considered false, misleading, deceptive, or gives the wrong idea about the product in some other way.
• The label needs to be attached to the container in a way that makes it hard to take off.
• The information on the label should be clear, prominent, easy to remember, and easy for the consumer to read.
• If a wrapper covers the container, the wrapper must contain the necessary information or make the label of the product inside easy to read by not covering it up.
• The name of the food, as well as its trade name and description, must be listed. If the food has more than one ingredient, the ingredients must be listed in order of decreasing weight or volume at the time it was made.

In addition to what has already been said, there are other rules about labeling that apply to many different kinds of prepackaged foods. Before launch, it’s important to talk to a qualified FSSAI consultant about the label.

Labeling and packaging rules for food Applicable to:

Food business owners must follow certain laws about how to package and label food. In India, if you want to run a food business, you will need an FSSAI license or registration. Food companies should follow the FSSAI’s rules about how to package and label food.

What Are the FSSAI Rules for Labeling Food?

The FSSAI guidelines for labeling food products are a complete set of rules that every food manufacturer and brand must follow. These rules say that every packaged food item must have a label with important information about the product and the company that made it. Here’s what they are:

A. What is it FSSAI labeling called?

The FSSAI rules for food labeling say that the name of the product should be written on the label in a clear format and font.

B. The list of what’s in it

The ingredients that went into making the food must be listed on the label. The product’s maker should be honest about all of the product’s ingredients and not keep the final customers in the dark about any of the ingredients used.

C. Information about food & Nutrition

According to FSSAI labeling rules, the number of calories in a food item must be listed on its label. It should say how many calories come from the product’s trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol, fiber, carbs, protein, sugar, iron, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

D. Statement about Non-vegetarian or Vegetarian

In some parts of India, eating food that isn’t vegetarian is seen as “unholy” and goes against the religions there. So, FSSAI label rules say that every food maker has to put on the label whether the food contains any ingredients that aren’t vegetarian. A small dot in the corner of the label must show if the product is vegetarian or not. Food that is not vegetarian is marked with a red dot, and food that is vegetarian is marked with a green dot.

Status as a Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian: India is a very different country, but they have their own food habits. In India, some religions don’t allow people to eat meat. All packaged food that says “Non-Vegetarian” must have a brown circle inside a brown square with a brown border. If the only non-vegetarian ingredient in a food is egg, the maker can write that on the label and use the symbol for non-vegetarian food.

E. A statement about the additives used in the food.

 Additives are substances that are added to a food product to make it look and/or taste better and to keep its flavor. The producer must say on the label what additives were used in the product.

F. The name and full address of the company that made it

The label should have a big spot where the manufacturer’s name, full address, and place of production are written.

G. Customer care details

Information about how to reach the customer service center must be on the label.

H. How much

On the label, the net quantity or packaged weight of the food must be written in a clear way.

I. Retail Sale Price

There should be a maximum price that the item can be sold for.

J. The logo and license number of the FSSAI

According to the rules for labeling set by the FSSAI, the FSSAI logo and license number must be written in a clear place on the label.

K. Batch no/Code no/lot no

These numbers show that the product was made by a real company, so they should be on the label.

L. The date of manufacture of products and the “best before” or “use-by-date”

This is important information for people to know. It will tell them when they need to use the product. If you eat or drink something after the expiration date, it could hurt you.

M. The how-to instructions

The FSSAI rules for labeling say that the maker must put instructions for how to use the product on the label.

N. Place of birth (for imported food)

The FSSAI label rules say that all imported foods must have the country of origin written on the label. This will let customers know where the product was grown, made, or processed.