New labeling regulations are in the making

* Nutrition labeling

By January 1, 2024, the food produced, imported and traded in Vietnam would have to be stuck with nutrition facts labels. As for small-scale food producers, the said deadline would be extended for one year to January 1, 2025.

Such are highlighted in a draft circular on nutrition labeling prepared by the Ministry of Health.

According to the draft, which is developed in line with the 2011 CODEX Procedural Manual, the following seven components must be listed on the nutrition facts panel of every food: energy, protein, carbohydrate, total sugars, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.

Nutrition facts labels ​​must display nutritional value in a figure and in a way that makes them easy to understand and read and noticeable, be firmly affixed on product packages and cannot be erased.

Such requirements would not apply to foods containing none of the above-mentioned nutritional components; food materials; products consisting of a single component; natural mineral water, bottled water; table salt; vinegar and substitutes; flavorings, additives, and food processing aids; yeast and food enzymes; unfortified tea and coffee, and unpackaged foods.

* E-labeling 

Manufacturers, traders and importers could label their goods by electronic means, except for information on the manufacturing date, expiry date, ingredients and warnings which must be displayed on paper-based labels.

According to a draft circular proposed by the Ministry of Science and Technology, contents of the e-label of a product would be displayed on the responsible trader’s website with the link thereto, or displayed via a QR code, an article number code or a barcode, shown on the label stuck on the product or its consumer packaging.

All labeling information must be available on websites until the end of products’ shelf-life.

(Source:VLLF)

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