China to implement food nutrition labelling rules
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- Published on Tuesday, 31 January 2012 16:10
CHINA – The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued China’s first national standard for food nutrition labelling, set to take effect on 1 January 2013.
With this new regulation, the ministry aims to standardize nutrition information labelling by food manufacturers, improve public awareness of food nutrition, and protect consumers’ right to know and to choose.
The food nutrition labelling standard “The General Rules on the Nutrition Labels of Pre-packaged Foods” covers the nutrition facts table, content claims and nutrient function claims.
The nutrition facts table is a table listing the name and quantity of the nutrients of the food product and the percentages of their nutrient reference values (NRV). Mandatory labelling information includes energy and the four core nutrients of protein, fat, carbohydrate and sodium as well as their NRV.
If hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat is used for producing the food, the level of trans fat has to be highlighted on the nutrition facts table.
MoH is encouraging food manufacturers to conform to the standard as early as possible, and warns that products without the proper nutritional information retailed after 1 January 2013 will be banned from sale.
The ministry also stressed that the nutritional information printed on labels must be accurate and objective, and has warned against any labels with false health claims and/or exaggerations.
MoH promulgated the standard in accordance with the requirements of the Food Safety Law. The ministry drew on the management experience of international organisations and developed countries, scientifically analysed people's dietary patterns, the nutritional properties of food, consumers' spending habits and knowledge of nutrition, and strictly adhered to the procedures for the formulation of national standards for food safety. The standards were promulgated after soliciting the opinions of people from different walks of life and hearing the views of the government departments, trade associations, enterprises and experts concerned.
