A recent regulation from Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) as a part of Europe wide legislation of labeling makes it mandatory for food producers to declare nutrition information on the label of the food product by 13th December 2016. The same is the deadline for declaration of calorie information of all foods sold lose which applies to restaurants, takeaways, healthcare sites, supermarkets where foods are sold lose etc According to FSAI website, the recent legislation makes imperative for producers of foods which provide nutrition information on a voluntary basis or which make nutrition or health claim on the label to provide nutrition information in the prescribed set format set out and implemented in December 2014.
The recent directive enforces a food manufacturer and seller of such products to declare nutrient information on their food products. The nutrient information must contain the energy value and the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt in the prescribed format on the label of the pre-packaged or non-pre-packaged product. The prescribed format to present nutrient information on the label of your pre-packed or non pre-packed food products suggests that the nutrient information must be presented in tabular format with the numbers appear in an aligned and linear format. The energy value must be expressed in Kilo Joules (kJ) and Kilo Calories (kcal) and the amount of the nutrients must be expressed in grams (g). All elements of the nutrition declaration must be included in the same field of vision. They must be presented together in a clear format.
Questions like “Am I ready for such major regulatory changes?” or “How am I going to implement such directives in my busy business?” are customary for a concern food business operator. Foodtrade.ie is an answer to your questions.
iviand.com is a comprehensive food allergen management system that enables you by providing all food nutrient information through its preliminary researched system data available to assist you in your business. Foodtrade.ie understands how imperative time is for your business. You have none to lose in your busy and hectic schedule. All you need to do is add the recipe of your food product in the system, along with the quantity of raw material used to make the food item. The system will automatically calculate the food nutrient information of the energy, fats, proteins, starch, saturates, carbohydrates, sugars and salts in the food product.
The nutrient values are average values to take into account the natural variation in foodstuffs due to, for example, seasonality or supplier differences. However, there is EU guidance on the permitted tolerances for nutrient values which is consulted by iviand.com for additional regulatory safety.
