Food labelling guidelines to be followed by Food Business Operators of “Edible Oils & Fats”, “Permitted Food Colors” and “Irradiated Food” : Module 12

Specific Labelling Requirements of edible oils and fats

The specific requirements and restrictions regarding labelling of packages of edible oils and fats are as given below :-

1. The words like ,“Super-Refined”, “Extra-Refined”, “Micro-Refined”, “Double-Refined”, Ultra-Refined”, “Anti-Cholesterol”, “Cholesterol Fighter”, “Soothing to Heart”, “Cholesterol Friendly”, “Saturated Fat Free” or any other words which are an exaggeration of the quality of the Product ,are not allowed to be used on the package, label or the advertisement of edible oils and fats .

2. The containers of solvent-extracted oil packed for sale shall bear the following additional label declaration;

(i) If the oil is not conforming to the standards of “refined” solvent extracted oils specified in regulation 2.2.6 (1) of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additive) Regulation, 2011 for Edible vegetable oil/Vanaspati, then a declaration as given below shall be given on the label .

“NOT FOR DIRECT EDIBLE CONSUMPTION”

(ii) If the oil is complying with the requirements for the “semi-refined” or “raw-grade 1” grades of oil specified in regulation 2.2.6 (1) of Food Safety and Standards(Food Products standards and Food Additive) Regulation, 2011, then a declaration as given below shall be given on the label

“FOR INDUSTRIAL NON-EDIBLE USES ONLY”

3. Every container of solvent shall bear the Indian Standards Institution certification mark. 

4. (i) The containers of vanaspati, margarine, bakery shortening, blended edible vegetable oils, mixed fat spread and refined vegetable oil in addition to other labelling requirements shall bear the following label declaration .

“free from Argemone Oil”

(ii) The regulation has specified that edible vegetable oils, fats which include hydrogenated vegetable oils, packages & processed food items with known shelf life, have to mention ‘the minimum percentage of trans fat content & saturated fat content by weight’. Similarly, in case of trans fatty acids & saturated fatty acids, the declaration has to be there on the label with percentage by weight.

5. The containers of refined vegetable oil shall bear the following label, declaration,—

Refined (name of the Oil) Oil

The container of imported edible oil shall also bear the word, “Imported”, as prefix.

6. The packages containing an admixture of palmolein with groundnut oil shall carry the following label declaration —

BLEND OF PALMOLEIN AND GROUNDNUT OIL

Palmolein……per cent

Groundnut oil….per cent

7. The packages containing an admixture of imported rape-seed oil with mustard oil, shall bear the following label, declaration:

BLEND OF IMPORTED RAPE-SEED OIL AND MUSTARD OIL

Imported rape-seed oil…..per cent

Mustard oil…….per cent

8. Tha packages of vanaspati made from more than 30 percent of Rice bran oil shall bear the following label declaration :—

 This package of vanaspati is made from more than 30% Rice bran oil by weight

 9. The package of Fat Spread shall bear the following label declaration:— 

(i) Milk Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Milk Fat Content Per cent by weight…………

 (ii) Mixed Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Milk Fat Content Percent by weight……

(iii) Vegetable Fat Spread

Use before …………..

Date of packing …………

Total Fat Content Per cent by weight ……

10. A package containing annatto colour in vegetable oils shall bear the following label namely :—

Annatto colour in oil (Name of oil/oils) used

11. The package containing an admixture of edible oils shall bear the following label declaration:—
This blended edible vegetable oil contains an admixture of :

(i) ……………….% by Weight

(ii) …………….% by Weight

(Name and nature of edible vegetable oils i.e. in raw or refined form)

Date of Packing ————–

NOT TO BE SOLD LOOSE

12.2 Labelling of permitted food colours

1. The containers of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colours”;

(ii) the chemical and the common name and colour index of the dye-stuff.

2. The containers mixture of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colour Mixture”;

(ii) the chemical and the common name and colour index of the dye stuff contained in the mixture.

3. The containers of preparations of permitted synthetic food colours shall bear the following label declaration :—

(i) “Food Colour Preparation”;

(ii) the name of the ingredients used in the preparation.

12.3 Labelling of irradiated Food

Irradiated foods.-

All packages of irradiated food shall bear the following declaration and logo :—

PROCESSED BY IRRADIATION METHOD

DATE OF IRRADIATION ………………

LICENSE NO of Irradiation Unit……………………

PURPOSE OF IRRADIATION……………….

Edible oils have always been a lucrative product segment by the producers of cooking oil but regulatory is very tough on food business operators of edible oils in case the consumer is misguided on the factual information of such products on labels.