Food labelling requirements for declaring Food Additives : Module 6

Declaration regarding Food Additives 

Food additives are substances which are technologically required for the manufacturing of food and also added to food to preserve flavour or enhance its taste and appearance. They include antioxidants, preservatives, coloring and flavouring agents, and anti-infective agents. Most food additives have little or no nutritional value. 

If any additives are added to the food, it shall be mentioned on the label in accordance to the Food Safety and Standards (packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2011, notified by FSSAI. 

When the food additives are used in the food , class titles of the food additives are mentioned together with the specific names or recognized international numerical identifications or ISN of the food additives. 

The classes of the additive are as acidity regulator, color preservative etc. 

Addition of colors and/or Flavours— 

(a) If color has been added to any article of food, it shall be mentioned in capital letters, just beneath the list of the ingredients on the label as 

CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL COLOUR(S)

OR

CONTAINS PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S)

OR

CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) 

After mentioning it along with the name or INS no of the food color, the name of the color need not be mentioned in the list of ingredients. 

If flavouring agent has been added to the food, it shall be written just beneath the list of ingredients on the label attached in capital letters as below: 

CONTAINS ADDED FLAVOUR (specify type of flavouring agent) 

(c) If both color and flavour are used in the product, a combined statements shall be mentioned, as 

CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL C0LOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S)

OR

CONTAINS PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S)

OR

CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) AND ADDED FLAVOUR(S) 

In case, artificial flavouring substances, has been attached then the common name of the flavours or ISN No. shall be given. In case of the natural flavorings substances or nature identical flavouring substances has been added then the class name of flavours shall only be mentioned 

Though it is accepted that for selling a food product, additives like antioxidants, preservatives, colouring and flavouring agents, and anti-infective agents are required to give taste, flavour, appearance etc, but the consumer has to be informed of all above discussed in this article.