GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Final Draft of Standard FDS  
 
Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No. TC05  
 
GSO 05/FDS 2233  
 
Requirements of Nutritional Labelling  
 
 
ICS: 67.040.00  
 
This document is a draft Gulf Technical Regulation circulated for comments. It is, therefore, subject 
to alteration and modification and may not be referred to as a Gulf Technical Regulation until 
approved GSO.  
  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
Preamble  
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional authority comprising the national 
standardization departments of the GCC member states. GSO is concerned, inter alias, with the 
preparation of the GCC standards and technical regulations through speciali st technical committees.  
 
The Board of Directors of the GSO decide d in its meeting No. (       ), held on …../…../….. AH, 
corresponding to …../…../……AD, to approve the Gulf Technical Regulation No. GSO 2233/2018 
(Requirements of Nutritional Labelling), whi ch has been  reviewed and  prepared through the work 
program of the GCC Technical Committee No. TC05 “GCC Technical Committee of Nutritional and 
Agricultural Standards” listed in the plan of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  
 
Gulf Technical Regulation No. (2233/201 2) shall hereby be repealed and superseded by the 
abovementioned Regulation.  
  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
Requirements of Nutritional Labelling  
  
1. Scope:  
 
1.1     The purpose of this Regulation is to control the nutritional labelling data.  
 
1.2      This Regulation shall apply to all packaged food products, with the exception of the            
following products:   
 
1.2.1 Food containing very low level of calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat and saturated 
fat, salt or sodium and total sugars (which can be represented with “Zero”), such a s 
spices and seasonings.  
 
1.2.2 Fresh vegetables and fruits, including any mix of fresh vegetables or fruits, whether 
whole or cut, without any additions (such as salads without toast bread), excluding 
dried vegetables and fruits.    
 
1.2.3 Fresh and chilled meat, poultry, and fish, excluding meat, poultry and fish with 
spices or water or cooked.    
 
1.2.4 Food served directly to the consumer from the place of preparation , such as salads, 
bakeries, desserts and takeaway food.   
 
1.2.5 Food products made of one nutrient, such as rice, tea, coffee and sugar.   
 
1.2.6 Bottled dri nking water and mineral water, but the percentage of its mineral 
content must be clarified.      
 
1.2.7 Food products in small packs (pack size is less than 25 cm2)  
 
1.2.8 Food additives  
 
1.2.9 Food that need packing or more processing and not sold directly to the consumer.  
 
1.2.10  External packages of food sold through self -service, with separate nutritional label 
or printed on the original package.  
 
1.2.11  Foods for special dietary uses such as: in fant for mula, food for infants,  sports 
foods or drinks, foods for special medical purposes.  
 
 
2. Complementary References:  
 
2.1 GSO 9 “Packaged Food Product Label”  
 
2.2 GSO 2333 “Requirements of Food Products with Nutritional and Health Claims”  
 
2.3 GSO 2539 “ Vitamins and Minerals permitted for use in foodstuff ” Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
 
 
3. Definitions:  
 
3.1 Nutrition Data: illustrative  description to inform consumers on the nutritional characteristics of a 
certain food product, consisting of two aspects:  
 
3.1.1 Nutrient Declarations  
 
3.1.2 Additional Nutrition Inf ormation  
 
3.2 Nutrient Declaration: uniform declaration or list of nutrients the food product contains.  
 
3.3 Nutrition Claim: any offer stating, suggesting or claiming that the food product has special 
nutritional values, including but not limited to, the energy value or contents of protein, fats, 
carbohydrates in addition to vitamins and mineral substances. The following declarations shall 
not be considered as nutrition claims:   
 
3.3.1 Mentioning the substances in the list of ingredients or contents.  
 
3.3.2 Mentioning the nutrients, which is mandatory in nutrition declarations.  
 
3.3.3 Information on the quantity and type of cer tain nutrients or ingredients on the label 
if so required under national legislations.  
 
3.4 Nutrient: a material consumed as part of the food product for any of the following reasons:  
 
3.4.1 Providing energy to the body.  
 
3.4.2 Needed for growth, development and maintai ning life.  
 
3.4.3 Lack of such material results in change in the biochemical and physiological 
characteristics of the body.  
 
3.5  Sugars: means all mono -saccharides and di -saccharides present in food.  
 
3.5.1 Added  sugar s: include sugars that are either added during the processing of foods, or are 
packaged as such, and include sugars (free, mono - and disaccharides), sugars from syrups and honey, 
and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices that are in excess of wh at would be expected 
from the same volume of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice of the same type.  
 
3.6 Dietary fibers:  compound or complex carbohydrates consisting of 10 sugar units or more, which 
are indigestible by the micro -enzymes of the human intestine, and which belong to the following 
categories:  
 
3.6.1 Compound or complex edible carbohydrates, naturally existent in food.  
 Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
3.6.2 Compound or complex carbohydrates extracted fr om raw food through physical or 
chemical methods or enzymes, which are found to have physiological effect of a 
health benefit as shown in the scientific evidence approved by the authorities.  
 
3.6.3 Compound or complex processed carbohydrates, which are found to  have a 
physiological effect of health benefit as shown in the scientific evidence approved 
by the authorities.  
 
3.7 Polyunsaturated fatty acids:  means fatty acids with cis -cis methylene interrupted double bonds.  
 
3.8 Trans Fatty Acids: all the geometrical isomer s of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty 
acids having non -conjugated, interrupted by at least one methylene group, carbon -carbon double 
bonds in the trans configuration.  
 
3.9 Nutrient Reference Value (NRV): a series of numerical values based on scientifi c data, used for 
the purpose of setting the relevant nutrition marks. There are two types of national NRVs as 
follows:  
 
3.9.1 NRV -Needs: refers to the NRV based on nutrient level.  
 
3.9.2 NRV - chronic diseases: refers to the nutrient levels linked to the control of th e risk 
of chronic diseases associated with diet, excluding malnutrition and nutritional 
disorder diseases.   
 
4. General Requirements  
 
4.1 Nutrient declarations shall be mandatory for all packaged food products, save the products 
mentioned in clause 1.2. above.  
 
4.2 List of Nutrients:  
 
4.2.1 Upon using a nutrient declaration, the following information shall be provided:  
 
4.2.1.1  Amount of energy.  
 
4.2.1.2  Amount of protein and carbohydrate availa ble (e.g. dietary carbohydrate and dietary fibers) 
fats, saturated fats, trans fats,  choleste rol, sodium, total sugars and added sugar.  
 
4.2.1.3  Amount of any other nutrient of a claimed nutritional or health effect.  
 
4.2.2 In case of an elective declaration of a certain nutrient, in addition to what is 
mentioned in clause 4.2.1, the national regulations may make it mandatory to 
indicate the amount of any other relevant nutrient needed to maintain a good 
nutritional condition .  
 
4.2.3 When applying a certain nutritional or health claim, it shall be mandatory under the 
national legislations or the national nutrition guidelines to indicate the amount of 
any other relevant nutrient needed to maintain a good nutritional condition.  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
 
4.2.4 The amounts and / or type of saturated fatty acids, unsaturated monounsaturated 
fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol and trans fatty acids shall be 
declared addition to the requirements in section 1/2/4 and in line with 7.4.4.   
 
4.2.5 In additio n to the mandatory declarations referred to in clauses 4.2.1, 4.2.3 and 
4.2.4, vitamins and minerals may be listed as per the following criteria:   
 
4.2.5.1  The vitamins and minerals that identified by the relevant authorities sh all be declared on the 
requirement to add them based on the health or nutritional needs of a particular country or 
region. /Or that listed  as requirements in the food product s pecification.   
  
4.2.5.2  In application of the nutrient declaration requirement, vitamins and mineral elements shall not 
be indicated if they represent less than 5% of the NRV or the official guidelines issued by the 
national authority for values per 100g  or 100 ml, or quantities per serving on the label.  
 
4.3 Calculation of Nutrients:  
 
4.3.1 Energy Calculation:  
The amount of energy indicated on the label is calculated using the conversion factors as shown in 
the below table (Table 1) : 
 
Carbohydrates  4 kcal/ g -17 kJ  
Protein  4 kcal/g - 17 kJ  
Fats 9 kcal/g - 37 kJ  
Organic acid  3 kcal/g - 13 kJ  
                       The amount of energy per gram of food is calculated  
 
4.3.2 Calculation of Protein  
To calculate protein quantity, the following equation shall be used:  
Protein = total nitrogen (Kjeldahl  method) x 6.25, unless another conversion factor is mentioned in 
Gulf Standards or analysis methods of the food product in question.  
 
4.4  Declaration of contents of nutrients  
 
4.4.1 Nutrient contents shall be declared as shown in the below table (Table 2) : 
 
 
 Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
  
 
4.4.2 Information of energy quantity shall be expressed in kcal per 100 g or 100 ml or 
per pack, if the pack contains one  quantity / serving  piece. Information shall be 
declared for each food serving as per the quantities shown on the label, or per 
each piece i n the pack, while indicating the number of pieces in the pack.  
 
4.4.3 Information related to the quantities of protein, carbohydrate and fats in g per 100 
g or 100 ml, or per pack, if the pack contains one  quantity/ serving piece . 
Information shall be declared for each serving of the food product as per the 
quantities shown on the label, or for each piece in the pack, while indicating the 
number of pieces contained in the pack.  
 
4.4.4 Numeric information of vitamins and minerals shall be expressed in metric units, 
per each 100 g, 100 ml, or per pack, if the pack contains one piece. Information 
shall be declared for each serving of the food product as per the quantities shown 
on the label, or for each piece in the pack, while indicating the number of pieces 
contained i n the pack.   
 
4.4.5 Information related to the daily need values shall be expressed in percentage, for 
all the information on the label as shown in table 2.  
 
 
Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
The following NRVs shall be used for the purposes of the label data in accordance with the 
internation al standards (Table 3):  
 
Ingredient  NRV  Unit  
Energy  2000  kcal 
Protein  50 g 
Total fat  70 g 
Saturates  20 g 
Cholesterol  300 Mg 
Total carbohydrate  260 g 
Dietary fibers  28 g 
Sugar  50 g 
Salt 6 g 
Vitamin A  800 Mcg 
Vitamin D  5-15 Mcg 
Vitamin C  100 Mg 
Vitamin K  60 Mcg 
Vitamin  E 9 Mg 
Thiamine  1.2 Mg 
Riboflavin  1.2 Mg 
Niacin  15 Mg 
Vitamin B6  1.3 Mg 
Folate  400 Mcg 
Vitamin B12  2.4 Mcg 
Pantothenate  5 Mg 
Biotin  30 Mcg 
Calcium  1000  Mg 
Magnesium  310 Mg 
Iron  22 (10%  dietary absorption; Diets 
rich in cereals, roots or tubers, 
with some meat, fish, poultry 
and/or containing some fruit and 
vegetables)  
 
 
 
 Mg 
Zink  14 (22% dietary absorption; 
Cereal -based diets, with >50% 
energy intake from cereal grains 
or legumes and negligible intake 
of animal protein)  
 Mg 
Iodine  150 Mcg 
Potassium  2000  Mg 
Phosphorus  700 Mg 
Copper  900 Mcg Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
Selenium  60 Mcg 
Manganese  3 Mg 
Molybdenum  45 Mcg 
 
 
4.4.6 Carbohydrates shall be indicated on the label. In case of clarifying the type of 
carbohydrate, the total carbohydrate components shall be declared as follows:  
 
“Carbohydrates ……. G, and sugars …. G”  
The above may be followed with: (x) …. G.  
(x) represents  the name of any other carbohydrate element.  
 
4.4.7 The amount and / or type of fatty acids or the amount of cholesterol must be 
stated following the statement of total fat content according to clause 4.4.3  
 
 
               Declaration shall be made as follows  (Table 4):  
 
Total Fats   … G  
 Saturated fat acids  … G 
 Trans fat acids  … G 
 Monounsaturated fat acids  … G 
 Polyunsaturated fat acids  … G 
Cholesterol   … Mg  
    
 
4.4.8 Conversion to calories may be electively added for each nutrient (carbohydrates, 
protein, fats) at the bottom of the label (fats 9 g, carbohydrates 4 g, protein 4 g).  
  
4.4.9 Calculation of the daily consumption percentage based on a 2000 -calorie diet for 
an ordinary person, while adding the statement (Percent daily values are based on 
a 200 0-calorie diet). Therefore, the bottom part of the nutrition label must contain 
the percentage of daily need for the nutrients per serving.  
 
4.4.10  Quantities of nutrients that can be considered negligible and can therefore be 
declared as "0" or  as "× ˂"  as ind icated in table 5 giving values to the "x" for the 
specific nutrients, alternatively   "the phrase" contains negligible amounts of ......... 
can be labelled.  
 
4.4.11  Rounding guidelines for the nutrient declaration in nutrition labelling of foods  
(table 5):  
 Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
 
4.5 Accepted Tolerance Levels  
 
4.5.1 Levels of accepted tolerance shall be determined as per the requirements of public 
health, product lifespan, accuracy of analyses and intrinsic variations in the nutrient 
contained in the product, and whether the nutrient is add ed to or naturally exists in 
the product.  
 
4.5.2 The values used in the nutrient declaration shall be the average value extracted from 
the values concluded from the product analysis and which represent such product.  
 
 
 
4.5.3 The tolerance limits of nutrient declarat ions on the label must be consistent with 
the following table (Table  6): 
 
Nutrient  Nutrient declaration a ccepted tolerance  limits  
Vitamins  -35%       +50% ** 
Minerals  -35%     +45%  
Carbohydrates  
Sugars  
Proteins  
Fibers    If the product content per 100g :  
>10g:         2g 
10-40g:      20%   
40g:          8g 
 
Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
Fats  If the product content per 100g : 
>10g:       1.5g 
10-40g:          20 %  
40g:       8g 
Saturated fats, 
monounsaturated fatty acids  
Polyunsaturated fatty acids  If the product content per 100g :  
> 4g:       8g 
 4g:       20% 
Sodium  If the product content per 100g :  
> 0.5g:      8 0.15 g 
 0.5g:      20% 
Salt  If the product content per 100g :  
> 1.25g:      0.375 g 
 1.25g:       20% 
 ** The tolerance limit above can be accepted for vitamin c in liquids.  
 
 
 
 
 
5. Principles and Criteria for Clarity of Nutrient Declarations on the Label:  
 
5.1 General Principles: the principles indicated in clauses 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, and 7.2 of the 
specification referred to in item 2.1 shall be complied with.  
 
5.2 Authority concerned with declarations:  
 
5.2.1 The purpose of the recommendations issued by the said author ity is to enhance 
clarity of the nutrient declarations on the label. The competent authority may 
determine other methods for display of the nutrient declarations, taking into account 
the practical methods at the national level and the needs of the consumer .  
 
5.2.2 Design: Nutrients must be listed in numbers in a form of a table. If no sufficient 
space is available to write down the information in a table, it may be written in 
linear lines.  
 
5.2.3 Nutrients must be listed in the same order determined by the competent authority, 
which shall be consistent in all food products.  
 
5.2.4 Font: the competent authority shall take into account the font type, pattern and 
minimum size. The font size of the (energy amount) and (Serving Size) must be 
enlarged, using bold font to highlig ht this information.  
 
5.2.5 Contrast: a specific contrast shall be maintained between the fonts and the 
background to ensure clarity of the nutrient declarations.  
 
5.2.6 Numeric declaration: numeric declaration of nutrients must be consistent with the 
provision of clause 4.4. above.  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
 
6. Supplementary (additional) Nutrition Information:  
 
6.1 The purpose of the supplementary nutrition information is to raise the consumer’s awarene ss as 
to the nutrition value in the food products, to help them understand the nutrient declarations. There 
are many ways to provide such information, which can be added on the product labels.  
 
6.2 The use of supplementary nutrition information on the food pr oduct labels shall be elective, and 
such information may be added to, yet may not replace, the nutrient declaration. However, if the 
targeted category of people has a high percentage of illiteracy or little information about nutrition, 
the symbols of nutri tion groups or colors and photos can be used without the nutrient declaration.  
 
6.3 The supplementary nutrition information on the food product label must be accompanied with 
programs aimed at raising the consumer’s awareness as to consumption and the use of the said 
information.  
 
  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
Technical Terms  
 
Polyunsaturated fatty acids .......... .............................................................. .. أحماض دهنية متعددة غير مشبعة  
Nutrition claim................................. ............................................................................. ........ ادعاء تغذوي  
Monounsaturated fatty acids ................................ ....................................... . أحماض دهنية أحادية غير مشبعة  
Trans Fatty Acids .......... ...................... .......................................... ........................... أحماض دهنية متحولة  
Nutrition declaration ................................ .......................................... ........................... ...... تغذوي  إيضاح  
Dietary fibers ................................ .......................................... ........................... ...................  ألياف غذائية  
Label ................................ .......................................... ........................... ..........................................بطاقة 
Nutrition labeling ................................ .......................................... ........................بيانات تغذوية على البطاقة  
Nutritional ................................ ..................... ..................... ........................... ................................تغذوي  
Nutrition ................................ .......................................... ........................... ......................................تغذية 
Fats ........... ..................... .......................................... ........................... ............................................دهون 
Sugars ................................ .......................................... ........................... ......... ............................سكريات  
Energy ................................ .......................................... ........................... .........................................طاقة 
Nutrient ................................ .......................... ................ ........................... ............................عنصر مغذي  
Unsaturated ................................ .......................................... ........................... ..........................غير مشبع  
Carbohydrates ................................ .......................................... ........................... ...................كربوهيدرات  
Saturated ................................ .......................................... ........................... .............. ......................مشبع 
Added sugar ................................ .......................................... ........................... ....................السكر المضاف  
Nutrient reference value ................................ ........................... ............... ......القيمة المرجعية للعنصر التغذوي  
  Gulf Standards  GSO FDS 2233  
 
References :  
 
- Codex Standard No. CAC/GL 2:2017 - Nutrition Labelling Guidelines  
 
- Food Labelling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, CFR: 21  CFR Part 101, 
Federal Register Number: 201 6-11861.  
   
https://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/labelin
gnutri tion/ucm385663.htm#highlights  
 
 
- Guidance document for competent authorities, tolerances for the control of compliance of nutrient 
values declared on a label with EU legislation No. 1169/2011.  
 
https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/labelling_nutrition vitamins_minerals -
guidance_tolerances_12 12_en.pdf  
 
  
- EU Regulation , No 1169/2011  
 
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32011R1169  
 
 
- A food labeling guide, guidance for industry, FDA  
 
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInfo
rmation/UCM265446.pdf