Table 4.5.1 Mandatory information on food labels as required by the Food Information Regulation Mandatory food information Food name List of ingredients Ingredients or processing aids causing allergies or intolerances Quantity of ingredients Net quantity of the food Date of minimum durability or the use by date Special storage instructions and/or conditions of use Name and address of the food operator marketing or importing the food into the European Union Country of origin or place of provenance Instructions for use For alcoholic drinks with >1.2% by volume of alcohol Nutrition declaration Notes* A legal name, customary name or descriptive name must be used See Product name section for examples Must include all the ingredients in the food in descending order of weight (an ingredient list or certain ingredients can be omitted in some circumstances) Annexes to the regulation give detailed rules for listing ingredients by weight, names of ingredients, food additives, enzymes and flavourings, and compound ingredients Annex II of the regulation lists the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances that must be indicated in the list of ingredients and given special emphasis, e.g. by the use of bold font The rules will extend to foods sold loose and foods sold by caterers See Ingredients section for more detail Continues to allow some foods to be sold by number, e.g. bread rolls or eggs Best before and use by will continue to be used A date of first freezing will be included for foods such as meat or fish See Durability section for more detail See Durability section for more detail The rules have been tightened and will also extend to fresh and frozen meat Scotland and other areas may be referred to without the use of UK on the label Particularly where without instructions it would be difficult to make appropriate use of the food Actual alcoholic strength labelled as X% vol, preceded by the word alcohol or alc See Nutrition labelling section for more detail *Refer to Regulation (EU) No1168/2011 and relevant annexes for full details. Table 4.5.2 Comparison of the current Food Labelling Regulations (FLR) 1996 and new Food Information Regulation (FIR) nutrition declarations* FLR 1996 Group 1 (Big 4) FLR 1996 Group 2 (Big 8) FIR 2011 nutrition declaration** Energy (kj and kcal) Energy (kj and kcal) of which sugars (g) of which saturates (g) Fibre (g) Sodium (g) The following nutrients can be included in a nutrition declaration on a voluntary basis, but must be declared if a claim about them is made: sugars, polyols, starch, saturates, monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, cholesterol, fibre, sodium, vitamins, minerals Energy (kj/kcal) Of which saturates (g) monounsaturates (g) polyunsaturates (g) Of which (g) sugars (g) polyols (g) starch (g) Fibre (g) Salt (g) Vitamins and minerals *These rules do not apply to food supplements or natural mineral waters. **Mandatory energy and nutrients shown in bold. Units are specified in the Annex of the Regulation. Manual of Dietetic Practice, Fifth Edition. Edited by Joan Gandy. 2014 The British Dietetic Association. Published 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Companion Website: www.manualofdieteticpractice.com
Table 4.5.3 Comparison of guideline daily amounts (GDAs) (IGD, 2006) with new reference intakes for energy and selected nutrients other than vitamins and minerals (adults). Differences are highlighted in bold Energy or nutrient Reference intake Guideline daily amount* Energy (kcal) 2000 (8400 kj) 2000 kcal Total fat (g) 70 70 Saturates (g) 20 20 260 230 Sugars (g) 90 90 50 45 Salt (g) 6 6 Sodium (g) 2.5 Dietary fibre (AOAC) (g) 25 *GDA for an adult woman. GDAs for men and children aged 5 10 years are also available (see www.gdalabel.org.uk) Table 4.5.4 Nutrient reference values (NRVs) Nutrient NRV Vitamin A (μg) 800 Vitamin D (μg) 5 Vitamin E (mg) 12 Vitamin K (μg) 75 Vitamin C (mg) 80 Thiamine (mg) 1.1 Riboflavin (mg) 1.4 Niacin (mg) 16 Vitamin B 6 (mg) 1.4 Folic acid (μg) 200 Vitamin B 12 (μg) 2.5 Biotin (μg) 50 Pantothenic acid (mg) 6 Potassium (mg) 2000 Chloride (mg) 800 Calcium (mg) 800 Phosphorous (mg) 700 Magnesium (mg) 375 Iron (mg) 14 Zinc (mg) 10 Copper (mg) 1 Manganese (mg) 2 Fluoride (mg) 3.5 Selenium (μg) 55 Chromium (μg) 40 Molybdenum (μg) 50 Iodine (μg) 150
Table 4.5.5 Conversion factors for the calculation of energy for food labelling purposes Nutrient Energy value kj/g kcal/g Carbohydrate (except polyols) 17 4 Polyols 10 2.4 Protein 17 4 Fat 37 9 Salatrims 25 6 Alcohol (ethanol) 29 7 Organic acid 13 3 Fibre 8 2 Erythritol 0 0 Table 4.5.6 Key definitions included in Regulation 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health s Made on Foods Term Nutrition claim Health claim Reduction of disease risk claim Definition A claim is defined as any message or representation, which is not mandatory under Community legislation or national legislation, including pictorial, graphic or symbolic representation, in any form, which states, suggests or implies that a food has particular characteristics Any claim that states suggests or implies that a food has particular beneficial nutritional properties due to the energy it: 1. provides 2. provides at a reduced or increased rate 3. or does not provide and/or the nutrients or other substances it: 1. contains 2. contains in reduced or increased proportions 3. or does not contain Any claim that states, suggests or implies that a relationship exists between a food category, a food or one of its constituents and health Any claim that states, suggests or implies that the consumption of a food category, a food or one of its constituents significantly reduces a risk factor in the development of a human disease
Table 4.5.7 Nutrition claims and conditions applying to them as listed in the Annex of Regulation 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health s Made on Foods Low energy Energy reduced Energy free Low fat Fat free Low saturated fat Saturated fat free Low sugars Sugars free With no added sugars Low sodium/salt Very low sodium/salt Sodium or salt free Source of fibre High fibre Source of protein High protein Source of [named vitamin/s and/or mineral/s] High [named vitamin/s and/or mineral/s] Contains [name of nutrient or other substance] Increased [name of nutrient] Reduced [name of nutrient] Light/Lite Natural/naturally Source of n-3 fatty acids High n-3 fatty acids High monounsaturated fat High polyunsaturated High unsaturated fat Condition No >40 kcal (170 kj)/100 g or 20 kcal (80 kj)/100 ml At least 30% reduction No >4 kcal (17 kj)/100 ml No >3 g of fat/100 g or 1.5 g/100 ml (1.8 g for semi skimmed milk) No >0.5 g fat/100 g or 100 m:. X% fat free prohibited No >1.5 g/100 g or 0.75 g/10 ml. No >10% of energy No >0.1 g/100 g or 100 ml No >5 g/100 g or 2.5 g/100 ml No >0.5 g/100 g or 100 ml No added mono- or di-saccharides or any other food used for its sweetening properties. If sugars naturally present, the label should include CONTAINS NATURALLY OCCURRING SUGARS No >0.12 g of sodium (or the equivalent value for salt)/100 g or 100 ml. Note the rules for waters differ No >0.04 g of sodium (or the equivalent value for salt)/100 g or 100 ml. Note not permitted for waters No >0.005 g of sodium (or the equivalent value for salt)/100 g or 100 ml At least 3 g/100 g or 1.5 g/100 kcal At least 6 g/100 g or 3 g/100 kcal At least 12% of energy At least 20% of energy Significant amount (15% RDA/100 g) At least twice the value of source (30% RDA/100 g) For vitamins and minerals same level as source of. Article 5 of particular importance for claims relating to other substances and nutrients Meets requirements for source of and at least 30% more than a similar product At least 30% less than a similar product. For micronutrients: 10% difference in reference values. For sodium (or the equivalent value for salt) 25% difference As reduced Prefix natural/naturally may be used where food naturally meets the conditions for nutrition claims At least 0.3 g of alpha-linolenic acid/100 g and 100 kcal or at least 40 mg of EPA and DHA/100 g and 100 kcal At least 0.6 g of alpha-linolenic acid/100 g and 100 kcal or at least 80 mg of EPA and DHA/100 g and 100 kcal >20% energy. At least 45% fatty acids present derived from monounsaturated fat >20% energy. At least 45% fatty acids present derived from polyunsaturated fat >20% energy. At least 70% of fatty acids derived from unsaturated fat See http://ec.europa.eu/nuhclaims/ for a full up to date list of nutrition claims.
Table 4.5.8 Examples of authorised health claims listed in the EU Register on Nutrition and Health s type Nutrient, substance, food or food category Conditions of use of the claim Function health claim [Article 13(1)] Calcium Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones The claim may be used only for food which is at least a source of calcium as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 Disease risk reduction claim [Article 14(1) (a)] Oat beta-glucan Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease Information shall be given to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3 g of oat beta-glucan. The claim can be used for foods that provide at least 1 g of oat beta-glucan per quantified portion Children s development and health claim [Article 14(1)(b)] Vitamin D Vitamin D is needed for normal growth and development of bone in children The claim can be used only for food that is at least a source of vitamin D as referred to in the claim SOURCE OF [NAME OF VITAMIN/S] AND/OR [NAME OF MINERAL/S] as listed in the Annex to Regulation 1924/2006 See http://ec.europa.eu/nuhclaims/ for a full up to date list of authorised and non-authorised health claims.