1. Food labelling legislation - health aspects -
October 2002
Terezia Sinkova
Food labelling legislation
- health aspects -
WHO - Food legislation course for the CARs

2. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Labelling means
Declaration of meeting legislative requirements
i. e. information on food safety and health protection
Possibility for consumers to choose food products according to nutrition information
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

3. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
is the primary means of communication between
producer and seller of food
and the purchaser and consumer.
should:
be correct, clear, explicit and understandable for consumers
avoid misleading of consumers
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

4. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex Alimentarius
to ensure fair trade practices
to protect health of consumers
standards
+ guidelines
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods
Codex general standard for labelling of food additives when sold as such
Codex general standard for labelling foods for special dietary uses
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

5. Codex general guidelines on claims CAC/GL 1-1979 /Rev. 1991/
Prohibited claims
e.g.: Food is an adequate source of all essential nutrients /if not accepetd by appropriate authorities/, Food is suitable for use in prevention, treatment or cure of a disease, ....
Potentially misleading claims
Meaningless claims
Claims of Good Hygienic Practice, e.g. „wholesome“, „healthful“,...
Conditional claims /allowed at particular conditions/
e.g.: „natural“, „home made“, religious preparation /Halal, Kosher,.../...
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

6. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN /Rev /
Definitions
General principles
Mandatory labelling
Optional labelling
Presentation of mandatory information
e.g.
Date of manufacture
Durability information
Ingredient
Food additive
.....
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

7. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN /Rev /
Definitions
General principles
Mandatory labelling
Optional labelling
Presentation of mandatory information
Prohibition of false or misleading labelling
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

8. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN /Rev /
Definitions
General principles
Mandatory labelling
Optional labelling
Presentation of mandatory information
Name of food
List of ingredients
Net content and drained weight
Name and address /producer, distributor, importer,.../
Country of origin
Lot identification
Minimum date of durability
Storage instructions
Instructions for use
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

9. List of ingredients - declared on the label
Any substance, including a food additive, used and present in the final product
Ingredients in descending order
Foods and ingredients causing hypersensitivity /cereals containing gluten, fish and fish products,.../ - always declared
Food additives: class titles + specific name or numerical identification
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

10. Traceability information
Name and address /producer, distributor, importer,.../
Country of origin
Lot identification
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

11. Durability information
Date of minimum durability /best before/
Use-by date /recommended date of last consumption/
Foods that can be spoiled by microorganisms and threaten health of consumers
Important: instructions for storage
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

12. Durability information
Is not required for:
Fresh fruites, vegetables, potatoes
Wines, liquers and beverages with 10 % or more by volume of alcohol
Bakers´wares which are normally consumed within 24 hours of their manufacture
Vinegar
Food grade salt
Solid sugars
Confectionery products and chewing gum
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

13. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN /Rev /
Definitions
General principles
Mandatory labelling
Optional labelling
Presentation of mandatory information
Any information if it is not in conflict with the mandatory requirements and with the general principles
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

14. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods CODEX STAN /Rev /
Definitions
General principles
Mandatory labelling
Optional labelling
Presentation of mandatory information
General /e.g. label will not become separated from the container,.../
Language /a supplementary label with complete mandatory information/
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

15. Additional mandatory requirements
Quantitative labelling of ingredients
- If labelling/description a food stresses presence of one or more valuable ingredients
- If labelling stresses low content of one or more ingredients
Irradiated foods
- If a food was treated with ionizing radiation
- If an irradiated raw material or product is used as an ingredient
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

16. Labelling of organically produced foods
Codex guidelines for production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods CAC/GL
Additional requirements/recommendations to those of the Codex general standard for labelling of prepackaged foods
indications related to a method of agricultural production
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

17. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling of food additives when sold as such CODEX STAN
Applies also to food „processing aids“
Name of each FA present /a list/
Proportion of individual FAs
Preparation: a list of ingredients in descending order of proportion
Mixture of flavourings: name of each flavouring
Minimum durability: „Will keep at least untill....“
Statement „For Food Use“
Instructions on keeping and use
Net content, name and address, country of origin,...
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

18. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex general standard for labelling foods for special dietary uses CODEX STAN
Structure similar like above.
Declaration of nutrition information:
Amount of energy per 100 g or 100 ml expressed in kilocalories /kcal/ and kilojoules /kJ/
Numer of grammes of protein, available carbohydrate and fat per 100 g or 100 ml
Total quantity of those specific nutrients or other components which provide essential feature for the special dietary use per 100 g or 100 ml
Specified quantity of the food as suggested for consumption
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

19. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex guidelines of nutrition claims CAC/GL Codex guidelines on nutrition labelling CAC/GL /Rev /
Presentation of nutritional properties
Only essential nutrients with Nutrient Reference Values
Food must be a significant source of the nutrient
Function claim – based on scientific consensus
No statement that the nutrient would afford a cure or treatment for or protection from disease.
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

20. Codex guidelines of nutrition claims CAC/GL 23-1997
Conditions for claims related to dietary guidelines or „healthy diets“:
Existence of dietary guidelines - officially recognized by the national authority
Food itself should not be described as „healthy“
Food may be described as a part of „healthy diet“ if the label carries a statement relating to food pattern of eating described in the dietary guidelines
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

21. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Codex guidelines for nutrition claims – claims related to dietary guidelines or health
Table of conditions for nutrient contents
Selected example:
Cholesterol – low: 0,02 g/100 g /solids/
0,01 g/100 ml /liquids/
- free: 0,005 g/100 g
0,005/100 ml
- and, for both claims:
less than 1,5 g saturated fat/100g
0,75 g saturated fat/100 ml
and 10 % of energy of saturated
fat
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

22. Food labelling legislation: health aspects
Latest trends
EU: Special regulations for labelling of
novel foods, novel food ingredients and novel food additives
those containing or consisting of or produced from genetically modified organisms
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

23. How to develop national legislation on food labelling
General labelling provisions /as mentioned above/ – related in generally to any food – should be mentioned in a horizontal part of legislation
Additional specific labelling provisions – related only to specific product /or group of products/ - should be included where needed.
Example: Each vertical chapter of Food Codex SR contains a part considering special labelling requirements in addition to those given in the horizontal provisions.
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

24. Special labelling requirements - example 1
SR Food Codex, Chapter 7 /horizontal: Foods for special dietary uses/, Part 7: Foods for diabetics
1/ In addition to provisions of the 2nd Chapter of the Food Codex, a trade name of food for diabetics should contain:
Identification „Food for diabetics“
Contents of energy expressed in kJ or kcal/100 g or /100 ml
Contents of proteins, fats and utilizable saccharides expressed in: g/100 g, or g/100 ml
Contents of vitamins and minerals expressed in mg/100 g or /100 ml
Information on sources and types of sacharides
Warning that the food may have a laxative effect if daily intake of alcoholic sugar, being a part of the food, will extend 20 g
2/ Following additional information may be introduced:
„Food does not contain sucrose“ /if the food does not contain natural sucrose/
Symbol: a red stripe
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects

25. Special labelling requirements - example 2
SR Food Codex, Chapter 24 /vertical/, Part 6: Coffee
Trade name of roasted coffee composed from one sort should be identified with both - the name of sort and method of technological processing while geographic origin may be introduced, e.g. „Roasted ground Brasil decaffeinated coffee“
Trade name of roasted coffee composed from more sorts should be identified as „a mixture“ together with identifying individual sorts and method of technological processing.
Trade name of flavourized coffee should contain a name of flavouring, e.g. „Roasted genuine Brasil coffee with strawberry flavour“
WHO, Almaty 2002
Food labelling legislation: health aspects