• Best before date – the date which signifies the end of the period under any stated storage conditions during which the food product shall remain fully marketable. the food may still be perfectly safe to consume, though, its quality may have diminished
• Labeling – any written, printed or graphic matter that is present on the label, accompanies the food or is displayed near the food
• Infant–  a person not more than twelve months of age
• Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) – RDA values as provided in current Indian Council of Medical Research Nutrient Requirements.
• Use by or expiry – the date, which signifies the end of the estimated period under any stated storage conditions, after which the product may not remain safe

Labeling Requirements:

• The Name of Food
  • List of Ingredients
    • The name of ingredients used in the product shall be listed in descending order of their composition by weight or volume
    • compound ingredient – by a list, in brackets, of its ingredients in descending order of proportion (m/m)
  • Nutritional information
    • Nutritional Information per 100g or 100ml or per single consumption pack of the product and per serve percentage (%) contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowance calculated on the basis of 2000kcal energy, 67 g total fat, 22 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat, 50 g added sugar and 2000 mg of sodium (5 g salt) requirement for average adult per day.
    • Provided that the content of saturated fat and trans fat may be declared on the label as “not more than”
    • The compliance to quantity of declared nutrients on the label shall have the tolerance of maximum minus 10 percent of the value for that nutrient declared on the label at any point in time within declared shelf life of the product.
    • The following foods are exempted from mandatory nutritional labeling
      • Unprocessed products that comprise a single ingredient
      • Processed products which the only processing they have been subjected to is maturing and that comprise a single ingredient
      • Waters intended for human consumption, including those where the only added ingredients are carbon dioxide
      • A herb, a spice or mixtures thereof/Curry Powder except Sprinkler masala (masalas meant for direct consumption)
      • Salt and salt substitutes
      • Table top sweeteners
      • Coffee extracts and chicory extracts, whole or milled coffee beans and whole or milled decaffeinated coffee beans, coffee, decaffeinated coffee, soluble coffee powder, coffee chicory mixture
      • Herbal and fruit infusions, tea, decaffeinated tea, instant or soluble tea or tea extract, decaffeinated instant or soluble tea or tea extract, which do not contain other added ingredients than flavourings which do not modify the nutritional value of the tea
      • Fermented vinegars and substitutes for vinegar, including those where the only added ingredients are flavourings
      • Flavourings, Food additives, Processing aids, Food enzymes, Gelatine, Yeast
      • Chewing-gums
      • Alcoholic Beverages
      • Foods for Special Dietary Uses (FSDU), Foods for Special Medical Purposes(FSMP), subject to the compliance of requirements specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016

Calculation of Nutrients:

• (i) Calculation of Energy: The amount of energy to be listed should be calculated by using the following conversion factors:
  • (A) Carbohydrates                                   4 kcal/g
  • (B) Polyols except Erythritol                   2 kcal/g
  • (C) Erythritol                                            0kcal/g
  • (D) Protein                                                4 kcal/g
  •  (E) Fat                                                      9 kcal/g
  • (F) Alcohol (Ethanol)                                7 kcal/g
  • (G) Organic acid                                        3 kcal/g
  • (H) Dietary fibre                                        2kcal/g
• Calculation of Protein – The amount of protein to be listed should be calculated using the formula:
  • Protein = Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen x 6.25 (Unless a different factor scientifically justified, may be used) Provided that for calculating protein content in milk a conversion factor of 6.38 needs to be used

Declaration regarding Veg or Non veg.

• mineral water, packaged drinking water, carbonated water, alcoholic beverages, liquid milk, milk powders and honey no need to use above logos.
• Declaration regarding Food Additives:
  • recognized International Numbering System (INS) as specified in Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 in the list of the ingredients
• Declaration of name and complete address:
  • “Manufactured by (Mfg by, Mfd by)” or “Marketed by (Mkt by)” or “Manufactured & Marketed by” or “Packed & Marketed by” as the case may be
  • Alcoholic beverages, “Bottled by” or “Blended and bottled by “or “Imported and Bottled by”. Or “distilled and bottled by” may also be declared on label
  • Food is imported into India; the package of food shall also carry the name and complete address of the importer in India.
  • food article manufactured outside India – shall also bear on the label, the name of the country of origin of the food article.

FSSAI logo and license number.-

Fortified food and organic food shall be marked with the logo as specified in schedule II of these regulations.

• Net quantity, Retail Sale Price and Consumer Care details:
  • Declaration and manner of declaration of Net quantity, Retail Sale Price and Consumer Care details shall be as provided in Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (1 of 2010) and the Rules made there under.
• Lot/Code/Batch identification.-
  • A batch number or code number or lot number shall be declared on the label
• Date Marking:
  • “Date of manufacture or packaging” and “Expiry/Use by” shall be declared on the label
  • date of manufacture or packaging/Expiry/Use by/Best BeforeDD/MM/YY for shelf life up to 3 monthsMM/YYYY for shelf life more than 3 months
  • Expiry date not required for,
    • Fresh fruits and vegetables, including potatoes which have not been peeled, cut or similarly treated
    • All types of wine
    • Alcoholic beverages containing 10% or more by volume of alcohol
    • Vinegar
    • Sugar boiled confectionery
    • Food grade salt for industrial use
    • Solid sugars
    • Chewing gum and bubble gum
• Labeling of Imported Foods –
  • As per Food safety standards import regulations 2017
• Country of Origin for Imported Foods:
  • The country of origin of the food shall be declared on the label of food imported into India
  • HS Code at the 6 digit level shall be considered to be the county of origin for the purposes of labeling.
• HS Code:
  • Harmonized system (HS) of nomenclature was developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and is used to classify goods. They are similar in the countries that are under the WCO. 6-digit HSN codes are typically used for the goods. Some countries may follow 8-digits.
  • Instructions for use: Example. ‘Refrigerate after opening’
    Declaration regarding Food allergen:
    Cereals containing gluten; i.e., wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or their hybridized strains and products of these (To be declared as name of the cereal)
    Crustacean and their products (To be declared as Crustacean)
    Milk & Milk products (To be declared as Milk).
    Eggs and egg products (To be declared as Egg)
    Fish and fish products (To be declared as Fish)
    Peanuts, tree nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, pistachio, cashew nuts) and their products (To be declared as Nut)
    Soybeans and their products (To be declared as Soy)
    Sulphite in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more (To be declared as sulphite)
    Raw agricultural commodities are exempted from the allergen labeling.
    Foods not for human consumption: Example,  Pooja water,
    Ghee for diya, Oil for Pooja etc.,
    Black color cross inside the square box like below,
                                    

Exemptions from certain labeling requirements:

• Where the surface area of the package is not more than 100 square centimeters
  • Bottle reused for refilling – list of ingredients shall be exempted
  • food with shelf-life of not more than seven days, the ‘date of manufacture’ may not be required to be mentioned on the label of packaged food
  • Foods Provided Barcode/Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN)- Address of the brand owner whether or not, he himself is the manufacturer, marketer, packer or bottler, as the case may be and the license number of the manufacturer or marketer or packer or bottler, as the case may be, if different from the brand owner.
  • Every package meant for non- retail sale shall bear a statement “NOT FOR                RETAIL SALE”.

                  Logo                                                 

• For Irradiated Foods; Radura logo in Green Colour