NUTRITION INFORMATION PANELS and NUTRITION CLAIMS

FOOD LABELLING LAWS IN AUSTRALIA

Food labelling in Australia is overseen by a statutory government body, the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ).  This body was first formed in 1991 as the National Food Authority, and governed food labelling laws in Australia. In 1996, The Australian and New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) was formed, as a partnership between the Australian Commonwealth and State/Territory governments and the New Zealand governments. In recent times, ANZFA have changed their name to FSANZ. FSANZ’s role is to protect the health and safety of the people of Australia and New Zealand by maintaining a safe food supply. The laws which govern the labelling of foods in Australia and New Zealand are specified in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The new joint Code was adopted in late 2000 and came into full effect on December 2003.

What is a Nutrition Claim?

A nutrition claim means “a representation that states, suggests or implies that a food has a nutritional property, and includes a reference to nutrients (such as energy, fat, sodium or vitamins) or biologically active substances”.  Examples of nutrition claims are:

  • Reduced fat
  • Low salt
  • Gluten free

What is a Nutrition Information Panel?

A nutrition information panel is a table displayed on a food package which lists the content of various nutrients and biologically active substances present in the food. In the old Food Standards Code, nutrition information panels were only required to be included on a food package if a nutrition claim (e.g. gluten free, low fat, high fibre) was made. In addition, many manufacturers voluntarily included a nutrition information panel on the food label. An example of a nutrition information panel is shown below

Which foods must contain a Nutrition Information Panel?

The new Food Standards Code requires that almost all food products carry a mandatory, (or compulsory), nutrition information panel. (The exceptions to this requirement include food sold at fundraising events, alcoholic beverages, single ingredient foods such as fruit, small packages and foods such as tea, coffee, herbs and salt.

 A nutrition information panel must include the following information:

  • Serving size of the food and the number of servings per package
  • Energy content
  • Fat (including saturated fat), protein and carbohydrate (including sugars) contents
  • Sodium content
  • The name and content of any nutrient or biologically active ingredient about which a claim is being made

This means, for example, that a product which claims to be high in fibre must list the fibre content in the nutrition information panel. Similarly, any product which claims to be “cholesterol free” must show the cholesterol content in the nutrition information panel.

Since gluten free is a nutrition claim, any product which contains the wording “gluten free” on the package must show the gluten content in the nutrition information panel. Gluten free is defined in the Food Standards Code as containing no detectable gluten and no oats or malt. (The specification that foods containing oats or malt may not be claimed to be gluten free has been made because currently available tests for gluten in foods do not pick up the presence of gluten derived from oats or from malt.

If a food has been tested and found to have no detectable gluten, then this means that the final food product does not contain gluten to a level detected by the test used. This shows not only that the ingredients used contained no detectable gluten but also that there was no detectable contamination by gluten during the manufacture of the food product.

The result of a test showing no detectable gluten is usually shown in the nutrition information panel as either “nil”, “0” or “not detected”.

Example:  Gluten free low fat fruit slice

This product makes two nutrition claims: low fat and gluten free. The information about fat and saturated fat contents are part of the mandatory information required on a nutrition information panel. The second claim, “gluten free” means that the gluten content must also be shown on the nutrition information panel. The manufacturer has also chosen to list the contents of dietary fibre and potassium on the nutrition information panel.

Serving size: 50g                  Servings per package: 2

Nutritional Information

per serve (50g)

per 100g

Energy

735

1470

Protein

2.2

4.4

Fat – total

1.4

2.7

      - saturated

0.3

0.6

Carbohydrate – total

36.7

73.3

                       - sugars

15.1

30.2

Dietary fibre

1.8

3.6

Sodium

210

420

Gluten

Not detected

Not detected

Any food package that contains a nutrition claim, but does not show the content of the relevant nutrient or biologically active ingredient is in contravention of the Food Standards Code. The purpose of these laws is to protect consumers from claims about food products which are not substantiated.

 

Further information about the Food Standards Code and food labelling laws

Visit FSANZ’s website www.foodstandards.gov.au

The above article is an adaptation of an article featured in "The Australian Coeliac" Magazine quarterly publication of the Australian Coeliac Society, in December 2001, written by Sue Shepherd and Susannah King, Dietitians.