In the European Union, the basic legal act governing the provision of food information to consumers is Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. One of the mandatory declarations on the label is the nutrition declaration for the product. In accordance with the laws, all mandatory information should be clearly visible and legible, using a minimum font size appropriate to the largest surface area of the package.
The mandatory nutrition declaration shall include the following:
- energy value,
- fat, including saturated fatty acids,
- carbohydrates, including sugars,
- protein,
- salt.
The content of the mandatory information may be supplemented by the quantity of one or more of the following components:
- monounsaturated fatty acids,
- polyunsaturated fatty acids,
- polyols,
- starch,
- fiber,
- each of the vitamins and/or minerals listed in Annex XIII of the Regulation.
The nutrition declaration shall be provided in grams per 100 g or per 100 ml and may in addition be provided per portion or per consumption unit of the product.
The content of a nutrient in a food shall be the average:
- determined by laboratory analysis of the food,
- calculated from known or actual averages of the constituents used, or
- calculated on the basis of publicly available and accepted data.
In the United States, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (NLEA) governs nutrition information on food, while Health Canada’s Nutrition Labeling Regulations apply in Canada.
As of 01 January 2021, updated FDA regulations for food labelling in the USA apply to all food manufacturers.
Mandatory information on nutritional ingredients includes:
- calories,
- fat, including saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, cholesterol,
- sodium,
- total carbohydrates, dietary fibre, sugars, added sugars,
- protein,
- Vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium.
J.S. Hamilton Poland carries out all analyses necessary for the nutrition declaration on the label, and provides consultation and assistance in designing the tables in accordance with current requirements. Contact our team today to schedule testing – or to learn more about legal requirements that are binding for your product.
