Nutrition labelling

 

Nutrition labels should support national nutrition goals aimed at reducing health problems caused by poor diets and/or inappropriate food choices. Food labels can be part of a nutrition education strategy to inform consumers and assist them in making food choices the meet their health needs. Labels can draw attention to the qualities of food products and encourage producers to develop new products.

Nutrition labels may provide information about dietary energy (kcal or calories), protein, carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, dietary fat, saturated fatty, trans fatty acids, vitamins, sodium and other minerals. The label explains the amount of the nutrient in the food product and how this compares with the daily nutritional needs of the average person.

Codex Guidelines

Codex guidelines on nutrition labelling 

Guidelines for use of nutrition and health claims 

Codex Alimentarius Commission, Thirty-fifth session Rome, Italy 2-7 July 2012
Amend sections 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 to read as follows:
“3.1.1 Nutrient declaration should be mandatory for all prepackaged foods for which nutrition or health claims, as defined in the Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims (CAC/GL 23-1997), are made.
3.1.2 Nutrient declaration should be mandatory for all other prepackaged foods except where national circumstances would not support such declarations. Certain foods may be exempted for example, on the basis of nutritional or dietary insignificance or small packaging.”

Related Publications

Related links

Regions

last updated:  Monday, July 16, 2012