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!