Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information

Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.

इंटरनेट मानक

“!ान $ एक न' भारत का +नम-ण”Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

“Invent a New India Using Knowledge”

“प0रा1 को छोड न' 5 तरफ”Jawaharlal Nehru

“Step Out From the Old to the New”

“जान1 का अ+धकार, जी1 का अ+धकार”Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

“The Right to Information, The Right to Live”

“!ान एक ऐसा खजाना > जो कभी च0राया नहB जा सकता है”Bhartṛhari—Nītiśatakam

“Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen”

“Invent a New India Using Knowledge”

है”ह”ह

IS 7688-2 (1976): Code of practice for labelling ofpre-packaged foods, Part 2: Guidelines on claims [FAD 15:Food Hygiene, Safety Management and Other Systems]

1s : 7688 ( Part 11) - 19%

Indian Standard CODE OF PRACTICE FOR

LABELLING OF PREPACKAGED FOODS

PART II GUIDELINES ON CLAIMS

Food Hygiene, Sampling and Analysis Sectional Committee, AFDC 36

Chairman

DR RANJIT SEN

Representing

Serologist to the Government of India (Directorate General of Health Services ), Calcutta

Members

AGRICULTURAL M A R K E T I N c Directorate of Marketing & Inspection ( Ministry of ;;;::;A TO THE GOVERNMENT Agriculture & Irrigation ); Faridabad

SHRI T. V. MATHEW ( Alternate ) SHRI V. N. AMBLE Institute of Agricultural Research Statistics ( ICAR ),

New Delhi SHRI K. S. KRISHNAN ( Alternate )

DR G. C. DAS Health Officer, Corporation of Calcutta DR P. K. DATTA All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health,

Calcutta SHRI K. c. DE The Metal Box Company of India Limited, Calcutta

SHRI V. K. KARNIK ( Alternate ) SHRI SUKUMAR DE National Dairy Research Institute ( ICAR ), Karnal

DR C. A. MULAY ( Alternate ) SHRI 0. P. DHAMIJA Export Inspection Council of India, New Delhi DIRECTOR Central Food Laboratory, Calcutta DIRECTOR GENERAL. Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services

( Ministry of Defence ), New Delhi MAJ-GEN DARYAO SINGH ( Alternate )

EXECUTIVE HEALTH OFFICER Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay MUNICIPAL ANALYST ( Alternate )

HEALTH OFFICER Corporation of Madras COL KEWAL KRISHNA Health Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi

DR A. D. KUMAR ( Altrrnate ) DR ( SMT ) S. KHOSLA Department of Health & Family Planning, Govern-

ment of Punjab, Chandigarh DR P. K. KYMAL Food & Nutrition Board ( Ministry of Agriculture &

Irrigation ), New Delhi DR 0. N. A~ARWALA ( Alternate )

MAJ V. A. NARAYANAN Defence Food Research Laboratory (Ministry of Defence ) , Mysore

DR G. M. VERMA ( Alternate ) ( Continued on page 2 )

@ Copy&n 1976

INDIAN STANDARDS INSTITUTION

This publication is protected under the Indian Copyright Act ( XIV of 1957) and reproduction in whole or in part by any means except with written permission of the publisher shall be deemed to be an infringement of capyrigh t under the said Act

IS : 7688 ( Part II ) - 1976

( Continucdfrom page 1 )

Members Representing

PUBLIC ANALYST (FOOD AND Government of West Bengal, Calcutta WATER )

PUBLIC ANALYST ( BACTERIOLOGY ) ( Alternate )

DR A. N. RAI CHAWDHURI DR T. N. RAMACHANDRA RAO

National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi Central Food Technological Research Institute

( CSIR 1, Mvsore SHRI C. T. DWARKANATH ( Alternate ). ‘. .

COL K. SEETARAM Quartermaster General’s Branch, Army Headquarters, New Delhi

LT-COL D. D. VOHRA (Alternate ) SENIOR MEDICAL 0 P F I c E a Northern Railway, New Delhi

( HEALTH ) DR S. B. SINGH Public Analyst, Government of Uttar Pradesh,

SHRI N. SRINIVASAN DR M. R. SUBBARAM

Lucknow Public Analyst, Government of Tamil Nadu, Madras Directorate of Sugar & Vanasnati, (Ministry of

Agriculture & firigation) _ . . . SHRI I. A. SIDDI~I ( Alternate )

DR T. A. V. SUBRAMANIAN Vallabhbhai Pate1 Chest Institute, Delhi DR M. C. SWAMINATHAN Directorate General of Health Services ( Ministry of

Health & Family Planning ), New Delhi SHRI D. S. CHADHA ( Alternafe )

SHRI P. C. VIN The Coca-Cola Export Corporation, New Delhi SHRI J. D. CONTRACTOR ( Alternate )

SHRI T. PURNANANDAM, Director General, IS1 ( Ex-o&o Member) Deputy Director ( Agri & Food )

SHRI SOHRAB

Deputy Director ( Agri & Food ), IS1

Ad-hoc Panel on Food Labelling and Advertising, AFDC 36 : Pl

SHRI D. S. CWADHA Directorate General of Health Services ( Ministry of Health & Family Planning ), New Delhi

Members

DR K. T. ACHAYA Protein Foods and Nutrition Development Association of India, Bombay

SHRI RAJAT MITRA ( Alternate ) SMT T. JACOB Lady Irwin College, New Delhi DR S. JAYARAMAN Directorate of Marketing & Inspection ( Ministry of

Agriculture & Irrigation ), Faridabad COL KEWAL KRISHNA

DR A. D. KUMAR ( Alternate ) Health Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi

2

IS : 7688 ( Part II ) - 1976

Indian Standard CODE OF PRACTICE FOR

LABELLING OF PREPACKAGED FOODS

PART II GUIDELINES ON CLAIMS

0. FOREWORD

0.1 This Indian Standard ( Part II ) was adopted by the Indian Standards Institution on 31 August 1976, after the draft finalized by the Food Hygiene, Sampling and Analysis Sectional Committee had been approved by the Agricultural and Food Products Division Council.

0.2 Food labelling is an essential component in all food processing Industries. The purpose is to tell the consumer, in correct manner, about the contents of the food inside the package or container. The consumers want to know what a package contains to be sure that they are not paying for an unknown quality and quantity of the food in the package. This leads to the necessity of enumerating on the label the ingredients, net contents and other essential points about the food in the package. It is also equally important that the declarations and claims made on the label are true and reflect the product packed.

0.3 This standard is being issued in three parts. This part covers guidelines on labelling claims of prepackaged foods. Parts I and III cover general guidelines and nutritional labelling respectively.

0.4 This standard is subject to the provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and the Rules framed thereunder.

1. SCOPE

1.1 This standard ( Part II ) lays down guidelines for making claims of various kinds on the label of prepackaged foods.

2. TERMINOLOGY

2.1 For the purpose of this standard, the following definitions, in addition to those given in IS : 7688 ( Part I )-1975* and IS : 7655-1975t shall apply.

2.2 Dietetic Claim - This relates to (a) higher or lower than normal con- tent or the absence of a particular substance and/or (b) physical, chemical,

*Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part I General guidelines. tCodc of practice for food advertising.

3

IS : 7688 ( Part II ) - 1976

biological or other property of the food by reason of which the implication arises that the food is suitable to meet the special nutritional requirements of persons whose digestive process or metabolism are disturbed or who on account of age or other conditions are liable to obtain benefit from a controlled consumption of foodstuffs ( see 5 ).

2.3 Medical Claims - This relates to the suitability of a food for use in the prevention, alleviation, treatment or cure of a disease or symptoms of a disease, disorder or physiological condition ( see 6 ).

2.4 Nutritional Claims - This relates to the claim of the presence of particular substances by reason of which the food may be used in the selec- tion of a balanced diet. Statements of quantity only, as envisaged in nutri- tional labelling and, in particular, vitamin and mineral labelling, imply such claims [ see IS : 7688 ( Part III )-1976* 1. Mere declaration of a nutrient in the list of ingredients without quantity or for technological reasons only would not imply such claims ( see 4 ).

3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

3.1 A claim shall comply with the general principles given in IS : 7688 (Part I l-1975? and IS : 7655-1975: in particular with respect to any possibility of misleading the consumer.

3.2 A food shall not bear any label constituting a claim which cannot be substantiated or the special properties claimed for the food are of marginal additional benefit to the consumer, having regard to the products of like composition available in the market where the product is to be sold.

3.3 When a claim is made, it shall be factual, truthful and capable of being objectively substantiated with speci.fic technical data or by means of comparative figures, when the claim is made in the form of a comparison.

3.4 The term ‘natural’ may be used on a label only in association with a product which is raw, unmixed, contains no additives and has not been subjected to any preservation process other than chilling or freezing.

3.5 The term ‘home made’ may be used on the label only in association with a product produced in a home kitchen.

3.6 The term ‘fresh’ may be used to describe foods that have not begun significantly to deteriorate in overall quality.

3.7 Religious or ritual preparation of a food may be claimed provided it does not hurt religious sentiments of the consumers.

*Code ofpractice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part III Nutritional labelling.

t Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part I General guidelines.

SCode of practice for food advertising.

4

IS:7688 (PartII)-1976

4. NUTRITIONAL CLAIMS

4.1 No food label should contain any claim that may mislead the consumer as to the composition, character or action of a food or as to its suitability for the nutritional purpose for which it is recommended. Exaggerated claims should not be made.

NOTE - Rounded off figures for joules (J )* ( or kcal ), ingredients, etc, may be given, provided rounded off figure does not disturb the relevance of the result claimed.

4.2 No claims may be made that a food is a significant source of a nutrient unless the nutrient is present in the food at a level equal to one-third of the Recommended Daily Allowance ( RDA ) in a expected daily consump- tion. No claim may be made that a food is nutritionally superior to another food unless it contains substantially more of the RDA of the claimed nutrient per unit mass.

4.3 No foodlabel should contain a claim:

a ) for any particular value derived from food or its ingredients unless that value can be wholly contributed by, or derived from that food;

b ) as to the nature or effect of such food based on its ability to provide energy unless, joules ( or kcal ) content is significant, with regard to the normal recommended consumptions of such food and inclu- des a true statement of the joules ( or kcal ) in 100 g or 100 ml of that food; and

c ) as to the nature or effect of such a food suggesting that it is a source of protein unless at least 12 percent of the joules ( or kcal ) of such food is provided by protein.

4.4 No label shall include any words or description which constitutes:

a>

b)

a general claim that vitamins or minerals are present in that food unless that food contains one or more of the substances established to contain vitamins and minerals, and is accompanied by a true statement of the minimum quantity of each such substance per 100 g or 100 ml as the case may be; and

any claim or suggestion that a particular substance specified is present in that food unless it is accompanied by a true statement of the minimum quantity of every such substance contained in 100 g of food.

4.5 The term enriched shall be used on the label only to describe the addi- tion of vitamins, mineral nutrients or amino acids to a food which normally would contain the added nutrients.

4.6 The term fortified shall be used on the label only to describe addition of vitamins, mineral nutrients or amino acid to food which normally may not contain these nutrients.

* 1 kilocalorie ( kcal ) = 4186.8 joules (J ).

5

IS : 7688 ( Part II ) - 1976

5. DIETETIC CLAIMS

5.1 Slimming Claim - No label should include any words, device or description calculated to indicate that the food is an aid to slimming or to weight control or reduction unless such food is capable of making definite and positive contribution to weight reduction.

5.2 Diabetic Claims - No label should indicate that the food has been specially prepared for diabetics, unless:

a) the carbohydrate content of the food calculated by mass is substan- tially less than the carbohydrate content of similar foods not sold as diabetic food, the carbohydrate content and_joules thereof expressed in g/l00 g and joules or kcal/lOO g respectively; and

b) the carbohydrates in the food, either in the ingredients used to make the food or added as an extra component has been specially prepared or chosen to suit the needs of diabetics, and are free from sucrose.

6. MEDICINAL CLAIMS

6.1 No label shall indicate either directly or indirectly that the food has tonic, restorative, or medicinal properties or properties which make it beneficial for invalids or which will cure, alleviate or prevent disease, unless:

a) the food contains a substance or substances in such quantity as to confer such properties, or in the case of an indication as to tonic properties, unless the food contains substances, other than alcohol, carbohydrate, protein or caffeine or other purine derivatives, in such quantities as to confer tonic properties, and, in every case, unless accompanied by a true statement of minimum quantity of each such substance present in the food ( calculated by mass and expressed as a percentage of the mass of the food ) and if a specific purpose is claimed, of the amount of such food which has to be consumed to achieve that purpose; or

b) the food is sufficiently deficient in a substance or substances as to confer properties in the food which can be expressed as percentage of the minimum quantity of the substances that have or have not been removed.

6.2 No label should hold out a promise of cure or contain any statement likely to endanger the health of any person suffering from illness. In parti- cular, care should be taken in the case of illness requiring medical attention. No food label should contain any matter which may be regarded as an offer of a food product for the treatment of any serious illness which should rightly receive medical attention.

6

IS : 7688 ( Part i1) - 1976

6.3 No label should, without justifiable reason, induce fear on the part of the consumer that he is suffering, or may without treatment suffer, or suffer more severely, from an ailment, illness or disease.

6.4 No label should contain any reference to doctors, or hospital tests, unless such reference may be substantiated by independent evidence, and may be properly used in the manner proposed. This also applies to the use of the dress or the surrounding in a manner likely to convey an impres- sion of independent professional medical advice or recommendation.

6.5 No label should contain the terms college, institute, laboratory, or similar terms, unless the establishment referred to genuinely corresponds to the description used.

7. PROHIBITED CLAIMS

7.1 The following types of claims shall be prohibited: a) Misleading claims, b) Unsubstantiated claims, c) Medical claims with exceptions ( see 6 ), d) Meaningless claims including meaningless comparatives and super-

latives, e) Claims which give rise to doubts about the safety of similar foods, f) Claims which arouse or exploit fear in the consumers, and g) Claims as to an organic nature or origin of food.

fNfb)iAld S’fArjIbAlib~

ON

FOOD ADVERTISING AND LABELLING

IS:

7655-1975 Code of practice for food advertising

7688 ( Part I )-I975 Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part 1 General guidelines

7688 (Part II )-I976 Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part II Guidelines on claims

7688 (Part III )-I976 Code of practice for labelling of prepackaged foods: Part III Nutritional labelling

,