NEW DELHI: The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry will notify soon amendments to the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955, making it mandatory for all packed foods to carry a label giving a description of the food and a gist of ingredients.

The amendments, approved by the Law Ministry, are aimed at enhancing the health of consumers and preventing deception by unscrupulous manufacturers.

The labelling provisions will also be applicable to proprietary food (food products not standardised under the Rules): use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and nicotine will not be allowed as ingredients in the manufacture of such products.

The product shall not contain any substance that may be injurious to health, thereby bringing under the purview of the amended Rules tobacco products such as pan masala and gutka. The manufacturers will have to submit, along with the application for licence, a prototype or final label for perusal of the licensing authority.

Every food sold as a mixture or combination will have to disclose the percentage by weight or volume and complete nutritional information per 100 gm of the product.

Information on energy value — the amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat (including the type of fat) and numerical information on vitamins and minerals — will have to be mentioned. Any food product containing allergenic or hypersensitive ingredients will have to carry special label giving the names of the ingredients that could cause allergies.

Under the amendments, added water will have to be declared in the list of ingredients, except when water forms part of an ingredient such as brine, syrup or broth.

Any fruit product that contains only fruit flavours — whether natural flavours and natural flavouring substances or artificial flavouring substances — will not be allowed to use the word `fruit' and will not be allowed to be sold with a label carrying the picture of any fruit. Also, carbonated water containing no fruit juice or fruit pulp will not have a label.

The draft rules will be finalised after the expiry of 60 days from the date of notification. During this period observations and suggestions will be accepted.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail