An Update on Nutrition Labelling and
Claims in Singapore
Seminar and Workshop on Nutrition Labeling, Claims and
Communication Strategies for the Consumer,
ILSI SEA Region / ILSI Malaysia Country Committee
20-21 Sept 2010
Sean Wong
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, Singapore
Food Label and advertisement
• Definitions
– “Label” means any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed or impressed upon, or attached to, a container of food
– “Advertisement” includes any notice, circular, label, – “Advertisement” includes any notice, circular, label, wrapper, invoice or other document, and any public announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting light or sound, and “advertise” shall be construed accordingly (Section 2, Sale of Food Act)
• Does not include:
– Medical detailers
– Advertorials/ editorials
Food labels and advertisementsLabelling and advertisement
requirements
Food labels
Nutrition labelling
Advertisements
Nutrition and
health claims
Nutrition and
health claims
health claims
Creative messages
associating with
claims
• Nutrition Labelling� Only required when nutrition claims or permitted health
claims are made
Nutrition labelling requirements
Examples: “A nutritious product”, “Provides you with nutrients you
need”
Servings per package (here insert number of servings)*
Serving size: (here insert the serving size)*
Per Serving* or Per 100 g(or 100 ml)
Energy kcal, kJ or both kcal, kJ or both
Additional labelling requirementsNutrition Information Panel
Energy kcal, kJ or both kcal, kJ or both
Protein g g
Fat g g
Carbohydrate g g
(here insert the nutrients for which nutrition claims are
made, or any other nutrients to be declared)**
g g
* Applicable only if the nutrients are declared on a per serving basis.
**Amounts of sodium, potassium and cholesterol are to be declared in mg.
• Food weighed, counted or measured
• Food loosely packed at retailer’s premises
Exemptions
• Nutrition claims
- refers to any representation which states,
suggests or implies that a food has
particular nutritional properties including
Nutrition claims
particular nutritional properties including
energy value and content of protein, fat,
carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals
- include nutrient content claims and nutrient
comparative claims.Examples : “Low calorie”, “Reduced sodium”, “Source of dietary
fiber” “High in Fibre”, “Low in Fat”, “Cholesterol Free”, “Sugar
Free” , “Trans Fat Free”
Nutrition claims
Criteria for use:
Refer to Food regulations and
national nutrient claim
guidelines published in “A
Handbook on Nutrition Handbook on Nutrition
Labelling” by
Health Promotion Board
(http://www.hpb.gov.sg/edumat
erials/default.aspx)
*Application not required
• Vitamins/Minerals claims
a) Reg 11(1)- Claim on presence of
vitamins/minerals
Examples: “Contains calcium”, “Added with Vitamin C”
Vitamins/Minerals Claim
Criteria for use:
a) the vitamins and minerals content per reference quantity of the product is > 1/6 of the recommended daily “Added with Vitamin C”
b) Reg 11(2)- Claim that product is
a rich source of vitamins/
minerals
Examples: “Rich in Vitamin C”, “High in folate”, “Source of iron”, “Enriched in Vitamin D”
recommended daily allowance (RDA)
b) the vitamins and minerals content per reference quantity of the product is > 50% of the RDA
* No application required
• Nutrient function claims
– Describe physiological role of nutrient in growth, development and normal functions of body
– No application is required if they are the existing ones listed in the AVA
Health claims
- nutrient function
Criteria for use:
• the vitamins and minerals content per reference quantity of the product is > 1/6 of the the existing ones listed in the AVA
website
– Specific to nutrient, not food product
– Examples:
• Protein helps in tissue building and
growth.
• Calcium helps build/to support
development of strong bones and
teeth
reference quantity of the product is > 1/6 of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
* No application required
• Nutrient specific diet-related claims– Claims relating consumption of a
food or food constituent, in context of total diet, to the reduced risk of developing a disease or health-related condition. High level claims
– 5 types of claims approved in
Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
Criteria to use:
•Products should meet HCS requirements of HPB, and additional set of standards jointly developed by HPB and AVA– 5 types of claims approved in
Singapore since April 2009:• Calcium, vitamin D and
osteoporosis• Sodium and hypertension• Saturated fat, trans fat and heart
disease• Whole grains, fruit, vegetables
and heart disease• Whole grains, fruit, vegetables
and cancer
and AVA
* Application required-
either through HPB or AVA
Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
• Criteria framework
General
requirement
Prerequisite - products must first be
approved with Healthier Choice Symbol
(HCS) from HPB(HCS) from HPB
Specific
requirement
Specific nutrient requirements based on
claims made
More information can be found:
http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/Food
LabelingAdvertisement
Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
Example:
For a milk product to qualify to carry the claim,
“A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, with
regular exercise, helps to build strong bones and may regular exercise, helps to build strong bones and may
reduce the risk of osteoporosis. (Naming of the food) is a
good source of/ high in/ enriched/ fortified with calcium”
What are the criteria to meet?
Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
Food product: liquid milk
2) Specific requirements
for all foods
Fat Calcium Total sugar
<1.5g per
100g
<1.5g per
100g
>130mg
per 100ml
>200 mg per
100ml *
<6g per
100ml
1) General requirement
(HCS) for liquid milk
Ensure overall nutrition
quality of products
Tighten requirements for
specific nutrients
* > 50% of Ca RDA per reference quantity
• Other function claims
- Specific beneficial effects of consumption of foods or their constituents, in context of total diet on normal functions or biological activities of body, relating to positive contribution to health or to
Health claims
- other function
relating to positive contribution to health or to improvement of a function or to modify or preserve health
- Application for use is recommended
- Current approved claim
"Plant sterols/stanols have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.”
http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/FoodLabelingAdvertisement/
Health claims
- other function
• Framework and principles for evaluation of health
claims in Singapore established based on Codex's
recommendations on the scientific basis for health
claim
• Advisory Committee on Evaluation of Health Claims • Advisory Committee on Evaluation of Health Claims
formed in August 2009
• well represented by experts from different fields:
– Government agencies and statutory boards
– Academia
– Consumers and industry associations
• Application for new health claims� Fill out application form (http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/B96B0EC2-1D1E-
4448-9C25-ABD8470D2BF4/26045/ApplicationFormandchecklistFinal3.doc)
� Identify nutrient/food constituent/food or food category
� Published independent peer-reviewed reports of human intervention studies
Health claims
- other function
intervention studies
� Official statements by recognised expert scientific bodies and food authorities of major developed countries
� Proposed wording of health claims
� Indication of information which should be regarded as proprietary
� Summary of application
• Prohibited claims
� False or misleading statement, word, brand, picture or
mark
� Claims which could be interpreted as advice of a
medical nature from any person
Prohibited claims
medical nature from any person
� Claims that a food can prevent, alleviate or cure any
disease or condition affecting the human body
� Claims that health or an improved physical condition
can be achieved
Moving forward
• Continue to monitor development of food labelling in
developed countries and Codex Committees, such as:
– Codex Committee on Food Labelling
– Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special
Dietary UsesDietary Uses
• Relevant topics:
– Nutrient Reference Values for nutrition labelling purposes
– Guidelines on addition of essential nutrients to foods
– FOP labelling
Thanks!