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FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It usually sets standards for food so that there is no chaos in the minds of consumers, traders, manufacturers and investors.
In the food and beverage packaging, there is one important aspect called food labelling. On the food labelling, there are crucial aspects related to the product and even of the producer. The information is usually for the safety of the consumer and it is mandatory that every packaged food article has to be labeled and it shall provide the following information
In this article, we shall discuss on "FSSAI Guidelines on Labelling of Food Products". Hence, the various characteristics which should be mentioned are:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
