1. An Update on Nutrition Labelling and
Claims in Singapore
Seminar and Workshop on Nutrition Labeling, Claims and
Communication Strategies for the Consumer,
ILSI SEA Region / ILSI Malaysia Country Committee
20-21 Sept 2010
Sean Wong
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, Singapore

2. Food Label and advertisement
• Definitions
– “Label” means any tag, brand, mark, pictorial or other
descriptive matter, written, printed, stenciled, marked,
embossed or impressed upon, or attached to, a container
of food
– “Advertisement” includes any notice, circular, label,
wrapper, invoice or other document, and any public
announcement made orally or by any means of producing
or transmitting light or sound, and “advertise” shall be
construed accordingly (Section 2, Sale of Food Act)
• Does not include:
– Medical detailers
– Advertorials/ editorials

3. Labelling and advertisement
Food labels and advertisements
requirements
Food labels Advertisements
Nutrition labelling Nutrition and
health claims
Nutrition and Creative messages
health claims associating with
claims

4. Nutrition labelling requirements
• Nutrition Labelling
Only required when nutrition claims or permitted health
claims are made
Examples: “A nutritious product”, “Provides you with nutrients you
need”

5. Additional labelling requirements
Nutrition Information Panel
Servings per package (here insert number of servings)*
Serving size: (here insert the serving size)*
Per Serving* or Per 100 g
(or 100 ml)
Energy kcal, kJ or both kcal, kJ or both
Protein g g
Fat g g
Carbohydrate g g
(here insert the nutrients for which nutrition claims are g g
made, or any other nutrients to be declared)**
* Applicable only if the nutrients are declared on a per serving basis.
**Amounts of sodium, potassium and cholesterol are to be declared in mg.

6. Exemptions
• Food weighed, counted or measured
• Food loosely packed at retailer’s premises

7. Nutrition claims
• Nutrition claims
- refers to any representation which states,
suggests or implies that a food has
particular nutritional properties including
energy value and content of protein, fat,
carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals
- include nutrient content claims and nutrient
comparative claims.
Examples : “Low calorie”, “Reduced sodium”, “Source of dietary
fiber” “High in Fibre”, “Low in Fat”, “Cholesterol Free”, “Sugar
Free” , “Trans Fat Free”

8. Nutrition claims
Criteria for use:
Refer to Food regulations and
national nutrient claim
guidelines published in “A
Handbook on Nutrition
Labelling” by
Health Promotion Board
(http://www.hpb.gov.sg/edumat
erials/default.aspx)
*Application not required

9. Vitamins/Minerals Claim
• Vitamins/Minerals claims
Criteria for use:
a) Reg 11(1)- Claim on presence of a) the vitamins and
vitamins/minerals minerals content per
reference quantity of the
Examples: “Contains calcium”, product is > 1/6 of the
“Added with Vitamin C” recommended daily
allowance (RDA)
b) the vitamins and
b) Reg 11(2)- Claim that product is minerals content per
a rich source of vitamins/ reference quantity of the
minerals product is > 50% of the
RDA
Examples: “Rich in Vitamin C”,
* No application required
“High in folate”, “Source of iron”,
“Enriched in Vitamin D”

10. Health claims
- nutrient function
• Nutrient function claims
– Describe physiological role of
nutrient in growth, development and Criteria for use:
normal functions of body • the vitamins and
minerals content per
– No application is required if they are reference quantity of the
the existing ones listed in the AVA product is > 1/6 of the
website recommended daily
allowance (RDA)
– Specific to nutrient, not food product
* No application required
– Examples:
• Protein helps in tissue building and
growth.
• Calcium helps build/to support
development of strong bones and
teeth

11. Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
• Nutrient specific diet-related claims
– Claims relating consumption of a Criteria to use:
food or food constituent, in context of •Products should meet HCS
total diet, to the reduced risk of requirements of HPB, and
developing a disease or health- additional set of standards
related condition. High level claims jointly developed by HPB
– 5 types of claims approved in and AVA
Singapore since April 2009:
• Calcium, vitamin D and * Application required-
osteoporosis
either through HPB or AVA
• Sodium and hypertension
• Saturated fat, trans fat and heart
disease
• Whole grains, fruit, vegetables
and heart disease
• Whole grains, fruit, vegetables
and cancer

12. Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
• Criteria framework
General Prerequisite - products must first be
requirement approved with Healthier Choice Symbol
(HCS) from HPB
Specific Specific nutrient requirements based on
requirement claims made
More information can be found:
http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/Food
LabelingAdvertisement

13. Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
Example:
For a milk product to qualify to carry the claim,
“A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, with
regular exercise, helps to build strong bones and may
reduce the risk of osteoporosis. (Naming of the food) is a
good source of/ high in/ enriched/ fortified with calcium”
What are the criteria to meet?

14. Health claims
- nutrient specific diet-related
Food product: liquid milk
2) Specific requirements
for all foods
>200 mg per Tighten requirements for
<1.5g per 100ml * specific nutrients
100g
1) General requirement
(HCS) for liquid milk
<1.5g per >130mg <6g per
100g per 100ml 100ml Ensure overall nutrition
quality of products
Fat Calcium Total sugar
* > 50% of Ca RDA per reference quantity

15. Health claims
- other function
• Other function claims
- Specific beneficial effects of consumption of foods
or their constituents, in context of total diet on
normal functions or biological activities of body,
relating to positive contribution to health or to
improvement of a function or to modify or preserve
health
- Application for use is recommended
- Current approved claim
"Plant sterols/stanols have been shown to
lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High blood
cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of
coronary heart disease.”
http://www.ava.gov.sg/FoodSector/FoodLabelingAdvertisement/

16. Health claims
- other function
• Framework and principles for evaluation of health
claims in Singapore established based on Codex's
recommendations on the scientific basis for health
claim
• Advisory Committee on Evaluation of Health Claims
formed in August 2009
• well represented by experts from different fields:
– Government agencies and statutory boards
– Academia
– Consumers and industry associations

17. Health claims
- other function
• Application for new health claims
Fill out application form (http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/B96B0EC2-1D1E-
4448-9C25-ABD8470D2BF4/26045/ApplicationFormandchecklistFinal3.doc)
Identify nutrient/food constituent/food or food category
Published independent peer-reviewed reports of human
intervention studies
Official statements by recognised expert scientific bodies
and food authorities of major developed countries
Proposed wording of health claims
Indication of information which should be regarded as
proprietary
Summary of application

18. Prohibited claims
• Prohibited claims
False or misleading statement, word, brand, picture or
mark
Claims which could be interpreted as advice of a
medical nature from any person
Claims that a food can prevent, alleviate or cure any
disease or condition affecting the human body
Claims that health or an improved physical condition
can be achieved

19. Moving forward
• Continue to monitor development of food labelling in
developed countries and Codex Committees, such as:
– Codex Committee on Food Labelling
– Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special
Dietary Uses
• Relevant topics:
– Nutrient Reference Values for nutrition labelling purposes
– Guidelines on addition of essential nutrients to foods
– FOP labelling

20. Thanks!