GUIDE
FSSAI Food Labelling Compliance Guide
Complete guide to FSSAI packaging and labelling regulations — mandatory declarations, nutritional info format, allergen disclosure, ingredient listing order, health/nutrition claims, and common non-compliance mistakes.
Applicable law: FSS (Labelling & Display) Regulations, 2020 as amended in 2022 and 2024. Non-compliance attracts penalties up to ₹3 lakh per batch under FSS Act, 2006.
Section 1: Mandatory Label Declarations
- Name of food — Common/descriptive name of the product; brand name alone is not sufficient
- List of ingredients — In descending order of weight/volume; compound ingredients expanded if >5% of final product
- Nutritional information — Mandatory for all packaged foods (see Section 4 for format)
- Net quantity — By weight or volume; in metric units; declared in numbers ≥ 2mm height
- Date of manufacture / packing — Month and year; use “Mfg:” or “Packed On:” prefixes
- Best before / Use by date — “Best Before” (quality) vs “Use By” (safety critical); perishable foods need “Use By”
- Name & address of manufacturer — Full address including city, state, PIN; importer details for imported foods
- FSSAI licence number — 14-digit FSSAI licence of manufacturer; must be on principal display panel
- Country of origin — For imported foods; “Product of [Country]” or “Made in [Country]”
- Veg / Non-veg logo — Green circle (veg) or brown/red circle (non-veg) — mandatory on all packaged food products
- Batch/Lot number — For traceability; prefixed with “Batch No.” or “Lot No.”
- Customer care details — Phone number or address for consumer grievances (mandatory from 2022)
Section 2: Allergen Declarations
Mandatory from 2020: 8 major allergens must be declared separately in bold in the ingredient list or in a separate “Contains:” statement.
| Allergen | How to Declare |
|---|---|
| Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats) | Bold in ingredient list; “Contains: Gluten (Wheat)” |
| Crustacean shellfish | Bold; specify type (prawn, crab, etc.) |
| Eggs | Bold; “Contains: Egg” |
| Fish | Bold; specify species if possible |
| Peanuts | Bold; “Contains: Peanuts” |
| Soybeans | Bold; “Contains: Soy” |
| Milk and milk products (including lactose) | Bold; “Contains: Milk” |
| Tree nuts | Bold; specify type (cashew, almond, walnut, etc.) |
Also declare: “May contain traces of [allergen]” if manufactured in shared facilities. Sulphites >10 ppm must also be declared.
Section 3: Nutritional Information Format
| Nutrient | Unit | Per 100g / Per Serving | %RDA (if claimed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (Calories) | kcal | Mandatory | Based on 2000 kcal/day |
| Protein | g | Mandatory | Based on 60g/day |
| Total Carbohydrates | g | Mandatory | Based on 300g/day |
| — of which Sugars | g | Mandatory | — |
| Total Fat | g | Mandatory | Based on 67g/day |
| — Saturated Fatty Acids | g | Mandatory | Based on 22g/day |
| — Trans Fatty Acids | g | Mandatory | — |
| Dietary Fibre | g | Mandatory | Based on 25g/day |
| Sodium | mg | Mandatory | Based on 2000mg/day |
Serving size must be declared in household measures (e.g., “per serving = 30g (2 tablespoons)”). Nutrition info must be in tabular format for packages >100 cm² display area.
Section 4: Claims Regulation
| Claim Type | Permitted? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| “Low Fat” | Yes | ≤ 3g fat per 100g (solid) or 1.5g per 100ml (liquid) |
| “Fat Free” / “Zero Fat” | Yes | ≤ 0.5g fat per 100g |
| “Low Sugar” | Yes | ≤ 5g sugar per 100g |
| “Sugar Free” / “No Added Sugar” | Conditional | “Sugar Free”: ≤ 0.5g; “No Added Sugar”: no sugars added during processing |
| “High Protein” | Yes | ≥ 20% energy from protein |
| “Source of Fibre” | Yes | ≥ 3g/100g (solid) or 1.5g/100ml (liquid) |
| “Natural” | Conditional | No artificial additives, preservatives, colours; derived from natural sources only |
| Disease claims (“reduces cholesterol”) | No | Prohibited unless specifically approved by FSSAI |
Section 5: Common Non-Compliance Issues
- ⚠FSSAI number missing or incorrect — ensure correct 14-digit number; FBO vs manufacturer distinction
- ⚠Veg/Non-veg symbol wrong size or colour — minimum 3mm diameter; exact green (RGB: 0/128/0) or dark brown/red
- ⚠Nutritional claims without supporting data — “Rich in Vitamin C” without vitamin content disclosure
- ⚠Misleading images — fruit image on product with no real fruit; show representative serving only
- ⚠Font size violations — net quantity must be minimum 2mm (below 200g) or 4mm (above 1kg)
- ⚠Allergens not bolded — hidden in ingredient list without bold formatting or separate declaration
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