August 2014 
Overview of the Food Labelling Standard 
  
Ⅰ  Purpose of this Standard 
 
The Food Labelling Standard shall be  established based on the Food 
Labelling Act (Act No. 70 of 2013) prom ulgated on 28 June 2013, in order 
to provide labelling requirements specifically. 
The purpose of this Act is to develop a comprehensive and integrated 
food labelling system in compliance wi th all labelling provisions in Food 
Sanitation Act (Act No. 233 of 1947), Act on Standardization and Proper Quality Labeling of Agricultural and Forestry Products (Act No. 175 of 1950) and Health Promotion Act (Act No. 103 of 2002). 
In establishing a food labelling standard pursuant to this Act, as 
described in Paragraph Ⅱ, the current labelling standards under existing 
Acts shall be changed and improved  and the new standard shall make 
nutrition declaration mandatory such labels to contribute to the improvement of consumer’s health, co nsidering international trends in 
nutrition labelling system. 
  
Ⅱ Main revisions 
 
１.Food Allergen Labelling 
In cases where the packaged food s and food additives contains 
allergenic substances, such as shri mp, crab, wheat, buckwheat, egg, 
milk and peanuts, the mandatory labelling is required in the same manner as before. Under the new food allergen labelling requirement, the name of the food allergen sh all be indicated in parentheses 
immediately after the name of food ingredient containing it, except when all names of allergens appear in parentheses collectively at the end of the ingredient list. 
 
2. Mandatory nutrient declaration 
Under the current standard (the Nutrition Labelling Standard), Nutrition declaration is voluntary for prepackaged processed foods. 
The new Food Labelling Standard requires mandatory declaration of 
energy value, the amounts of prot ein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium 
(expressed in salt equivalent) for pr epackaged processed foods and food 
additives to be offered as such to  the consumer. Certain foods may be 
exempted for example, on the basis of nutritional or dietary insignificance or small packaging or others. The declaration of saturated 
fatty acid, cholesterol, available carb ohydrate (i.e, dietary carbohydrate 
excluding dietary fibre), sugars, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals is voluntary. 
 3. Nutrition claims  
3-1. Comparative claims 
The new standards for comparative claims will be changed in 
reference to CODEX Guidelines (Gui delines for use of nutrition and 
health claims, CAC/GL 23-1997). 
 
3-2. Claims regarding the non-addition of sugars and sodium salts 
Conditions for non-addition claims are not prescribed in the current 
standard. The new Food Labelling Standard establishes the same 
conditions as CODEX Guidelines (G uidelines for use of nutrition and 
health claims, CAC/GL 23-1997). 
 
4. Nutrition Labelling Format 
Where the amount and type of fatty  acids (e.g. saturated fatty acid),  
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals or the amount of cholesterol is declared, this declaration should be presented in the following format. Regarding these nutrients, those which are not intended to declare can be omitted. 
   
Nutrition information 
Per 100g, 100ml, serving or other units as appropriate 
Energy Protein Fat  --Saturated fat 
Cholesterol Carbohydrate   --Available carbohydrate     - - S u g a r s    --Dietary fiber Salt equivalent Other nutrient(Vitamins and Minerals) kcal 
g g g mg g g g g g 
mg,μg 
 
 
５.Ingredient Labelling of Foods 
The current labelling requirement concerning display order of food 
ingredients and food additives in ingredient list shall expand to all items, while any exceptional standards for some items shall be abolished. 
 
 ６.Labelling of Food Additives for sale 
In addition to the current labelling requirements for food additives for 
sale, some labelling shall be made mand atory, that is “content weight”, 
“the amount of nutrients” and “nam e and address of food-related 
business operator” for food additive s for general consumer, and “name 
and address of food-related business operator” for food additives for other food businesses. 
 
７.Omission of labelling according to a labelling surface area  
Where the largest labelling surface area on the food packaging or 
container is less than 30cm
2, labelling other than the designated 
information, that is “Name of the food”, “Preservation method”, “Expiration date or Freshness date”,  “Name and Address of food-related 
business operator” and “Allergen”, may be omitted.