Every package of food shall carry a label and unless otherwise provided in these rules, there shall be specified on every label:-
(a) the name, trade name or description of food contained in the package;
(b) the names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume as the case may be;
Provided that in the case of artificial flavouring substances, the label may not declare the chemical names of the flavours, but in the case of natural flavouring substances or natural identical flavouring substances, the common name of flavours shall be mentioned on the label.
Provided also that whenever Gelatine is used as an ingredient, a declaration to this effect shall be made on the label by inserting the work "Gelatine -Animal Origin."
Provided also that when any article of food contains whole or part of any animal including birds, fresh water or marine animals or eggs or product of any animal origin but not including milk or milk products as an ingredient:
(a) a declaration to this effect shall be made by a symbol and colour code so stipulated for this purpose to indicate that the product is Non-Vegetarian Food. The symbol should consist of a brown colour filled circle having a diameter not less than the minimum size specified in the table given below, inside the square with brown outline having side double the diameter of the circle as indicated in Cl. 16 of the sub-rule (ZZZ) of rule 42:
TABLE:
Area of Principal Display Panel - Minimum Size of diameter in mm
1. Upto 100 cms square - 3
2. Above 100 cms square upto 500 cms square - 4
3. Above 500 cms square upto 2500 cms square - 6
4. Above 2500 cms square - 8
(b) the symbol shall be prominently displayed
(i) on the package having contrast background on principal display panel
(ii) just close in proximity to the name or brand name of the product and
(iii) on the labels, containers, pamphlets, leaflets, advertisements in any media
Provided that the any article of food contains egg only as Non-Vegetarian ingredient, the manufacture or packer or seller may give declaration to this effect in addition to the said symbol
Provided further that these rules shall not apply in respect of any Non-Vegetarian food which is manufactured and packed without the symbol before the commencement of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (Fourth Amendment Rules 2001).
Provide further that whenever any article of food contains whole or part of any animal including birds and fresh water or marine animals or eggs as an ingredient, a declaration to this effect shall be made by a symbol and colour code so stipulated for this purpose to indicate that the product is non-vegetarian food. THe symbol shall consist of a circle with a single chord passing through it's centre from top left hand side to the right, diagonally as indicated below. The symbol shall be displayed in prominent red colour on the package having contrast background and shall have the width of circumference equal to the width of the letters used in the name or brand name of the product and diameter equal to the height of the letters used for the name or brand name of the product. The symbol shall be displayed just above the name or brand name of the product and approximately to it's centre and shall form an integral part of the name or brand name of any article of non-vegetarian food to be indicated wherever the name or brand name shall be displayed including labels, containers as well as in pamphlets, leaflets, advertisements in any media, etc.
The symbol and colour code used to indicate nature of the food as non-vegetarian shall be published/displayed extensively by the manufacturers or packers or sellers so as to reach the entire population irrespective of their literacy status.
Provided further that when statement regarding addition of colours of flavours is displayed on the label in accordance with rule 24 and rule 64 BB respectively, addition of such colours or flavours need not be mentioned in the list of ingredients:
Provided also that in case both colour and flavour are used in product, one of the following combined statements in capital letters shall be displayed just beneath the list of ingredients on the label attached to any package of food so coloured and flavoured, namely:-
(I) CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL COLOURS(S) AND ADDED FLAVOURS(S)
OR
(II) CONTAINS PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S) AND ADDED
FLAVOUR(S)
OR
(III) CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR (S) AND
ADDED FLAVOUR(S).
OR
(IV) CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL */AND* SYNTHETIC* COLOURS AND
ADDED FLAVOURS.
In case of packages of confectionery weighing 20 gm or less, which are also exempted from the declaration of ingredients, will be exempted from the declaration of "Animal Origin" even if it contains Gelatine provided that such declaration shall be given on the multi-piece package in such a manner that the same is readable even without opening the package.
NOTE :- A specific name shall be used for ingredients in the list of ingredients except that -
(i) for ingredients falling in the respective classes, the following class titles may be used, namely:-
"edible fats, edible oils, spices and condiments, edible starches (except modified starches), vitamins and minerals, salts. However in case of curry powder or mixed masalas whole or other such masala containing spices, either whole or powdered, as major ingredient, the names of spices used in the product be mentioned on the label in descending order of their composition by weight."
(ii) for substances falling in the respective classes, and appearing in the list offood additives permitted for use in foods generally, the following class titles may be used, namely; Antioxidants, anticaking agents, flour improvers, sequestering and buffering agents,bleaching agents, emulsifying and stabilizing agents, antifoaming agents, preservatives, colours, flavours, vitamins, minerals and edible gums.
(c)
(i) the name and complete address of the manufacturer and the manufacturing unit, if these are located at different places and in case the manufacturer is not
the packer or bottler, the name and complete address of the packing or bottling unit as the case may be;
(ii) where an article of food is manufactured or packed or bottled by a person or a company under the written authority of some other manufacturer or company, under this or its brand name, the label shall carry the name and complete address of the manufacturer the company, for and on whose behalf it is manufactured or packed or bottled;
(iii) where an article of food is imported into India, the package of food shall also carry the name and complete address of the importer in India. Provided that where any food article manufactured outside India is packed or bottled in India, the package containing the such food article shall also bear on the label, the name of the country of origin of the food article and the name and complete address of the importer and the premises of the packing or bottling in India.
(d) The net weight or number or measure of volume of contents as the circumstances may require, except in the case of biscuits, breads confectionery and sweets where the weight may be expressed in terms of either average net weight or minimum net weight.
Note :- In declaring the net quantity of the commodity contained in the package, the weight of the wrappers and materials other than commodity shall be excluded.
Provided that where a package contains a large number of small items of confectionery, each of which is separately wrapped and it is not reasonably practicable to exclude from the net weight of the commodity, the weight of such immediate wrappers of all the items of the confectionery contained in the package, the net weight declared on the package, containing s
