• Name or description of the food
  A common name or a description which is sufficient to indicate the true nature of the food product should be included.
  
  
• List of ingredients
  A complete list of ingredients used in the food should be declared. If the respective quantities of the ingredients are not disclosed, they should be listed in descending order of the proportions by weight in which they are present. In other words, the ingredients listed at the top of the list should be the one that weighed the most.
  
  If the colouring matter, tartrazine is used, it must be stated in the list of ingredients as either "tartrazine", or "colour (102)" or "colour (FD&C Yellow #5)" or similar words.
  
  
• Net quantity
  The minimum quantity of the food in the package expressed in terms of volumetric measure (eg. ml, litres) or net weight (eg, g,kg) or any other measure should be printed on the label to indicate the quantity of the contents. In the case of weight measure, suitable words like "Net" shall be used to describe the manner of measure.
  
  
• Name and address of the manufacturer or importer
  The name and address of the manufacturer, packer or local vendor should be printed on the label of a food of local origin. In the case of an imported food, the label should indicate the name and address of the local importer, distributor or agent. Telegraphic, facsimile and post office address are not acceptable.
  
  
• Country of origin of food
  The name of the country of origin of the food should be indicated on the label for imported food. The name of a city, town or province alone is not sufficient to indicate the origin of the product.
  

Date-marking
The prepacked foods listed below shall bear a date-marking to indicate the expiry date of the food. The date-marking must be permanently marked or embossed on the package or label of the package. This is the date after which the food, when kept in accordance with any storage conditions indicated on the label of that food, may not retain its normal nature and quality.

The expiry date should be qualified by words like "USE BY", "SELL BY", "EXPIRY DATE", "BEST BEFORE" or other words of similar meaning. Where the validity of the date mark is dependent on its storage, the storage direction of that food must be stated on the label or package.

For example: "BEST BEFORE : 31 Dec 99. Store in a cool, dry place."

The date-mark shall be shown clearly and the size of the letter shall not be less than 3mm in height. The year in the date mark of items 1 to 8 listed below is optional. For example, the expiry date of pasteurised milk can be declared as "31 May 99" or "31 May". For food items 9 to 19, the day in the date mark is optional. For instance, the expiry date of infants' food can be declared as either "31 May 99" or "May 99".

List of prepacked food that requires date-marking

1. Cream, reduced cream, light cream, whipped cream and sour cream excluding sterilised canned cream. 
2. Cultured milk and cultured milk drink.
3. Pasteurised milk and pasteurised milk drink.
4. Yoghurt, low-fat yoghurt, fat-reduced yoghurt, non-fat yoghurt and yoghurt products.
5. Pasteurised fruit juice and pasteurised fruit juice drink.
6. Pasteurised vegetable juice and pasteurised vegetable juice drink.
7. Tofu, "taufu" or "doufu", a soya beancurd product made of basically soya beans, water and a coagulant, including "egg tofu", "taukau" or "dougan", and the soft soya beancurd dessert known as "tauhui", "tofa", or "douhua", but excluding the oil fried tofu in the form of a pouch known as "taupok", and the fried beancurd stick.
8. Food which is stored or required to be stored at a chilling temperature to maintain or prolong its durable life, but excluding raw fruits and vegetables.
9. Vitaminised fruit juice and vitaminised fruit juice drink.
10. Vitaminised vegetable juice and vitaminised vegetable juice drink.
11. Liquid milk and liquid milk products excluding condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and canned sterilized milk and milk products.
12. Flour.
13. Salad dressing.
14. Mayonnaise.
15. Raisins and sultanas.
16. Chocolate, milk chocolate and chocolate confectionery in which the characteristic ingredient is chocolate or cocoa, with or without the addition of fruits or nuts.
17. Breakfast-cereal with or without fruit and nuts except cereal in cans.
18. Infants' food.
19. Edible cooking oils.

1. Claims on vitamins and minerals
   Products that are claimed to contain or that are claimed to be a rich source of vitamin(s) and/or mineral(s) are required to bear a statement like "(quantity) of the food contains (quantity) of (name of vitamins/minerals)" to substantiate the claim. For example: "200 ml of this orange juice contains 15 mg of vitamin C".
   These products should also meet the requirements specified under regulation 11 of the Food Regulations for the respective vitamin and mineral contents of which the claims are made.
   
   
2. Nutrition labelling
   In Singapore, nutrition labelling is required only when a nutrition claim is made. A nutrition label usually takes the form of a nutrition information panel. The information in the panel includes the energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate contents of the food. The declaration of other nutrients is optional but is mandatory when such nutrients are the subject of a nutrition claim. Products which carry nutrition claims should also meet the requirements of the guidelines published by the Health Promotion Board in its "Handbook on Nutrition Labelling".
   Examples of nutrition claims are "Source of energy", "Source of protein", "Low in calories" and "Sugar free".
   

• Claims that a food has therapeutic, prophylactic properties, or in any way that it can prevent, alleviate or cure any disease or condition affecting the human body.
  
  For example: "effective in preventing or curing cancer."; "lower the blood pressure" are objectionable claims.
  
  
• Claims that a food can improve health, physical condition or performance.
  
  For example: "A runner can run faster after consuming the food." is objectionable.
  

• The claim is about essential nutrients that have established recommended intakes and/or are of nutritional importance.
• There is sufficient generally accepted scientific evidence to prove the suggested function or role of the nutrient as claimed.
• The claim enables the public to understand the information provided and its significance to their overall daily diet.
• The particular nutrient mentioned is present in an amount that either meets the requirements of the Food Regulations, or the requirements of the nutrient claim guidelines established by the Health Promotion Board.  The product carrying the claim should also be labelled in accordance with the requirements of the Food Regulations for use of nutrition claims. 
• The claim does not state or have the implication that the nutrient is for prevention or treatment for a disease.

List of acceptable nutrient function claims for all foods

(I)    Macronutrients
       
       Protein        

• Protein provides the essential amino acids needed to aid in the building and maintenance of body tissues.
• Protein helps in tissue building and growth.

      Lactose

• Low lactose content allows easier digestion/ eases digestion for people who are lactose intolerant.

• Aids the digestive system.

• Calcium helps build/to support development of strong bones and teeth.

      Iron       

• Iron is an important component of red blood cells which carry oxygen to all parts of the body to help the body’s production of energy.
• Iron is needed to produce haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues.
• Iron is needed to produce myoglobin, the protein that helps supply oxygen to muscle.

      Folate (for pregnant women)      

• Folate helps support foetus’ growth and overall development.
• Folate plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. 
• Folate, taken before and during early pregnancy, helps in the mental/normal and overall development of foetus.
• Folic acid is essential/important for growth and division of cells.

     Vitamin K and vitamin D work synergistically on bone metabolism to improve
     bone strength/ build strong bones.

     Magnesium helps in the absorption and retention of calcium.

     Zinc is essential for growth.


(III)  Other nutrients

      Probiotics*           

• Helps to maintain a healthy digestive system.
• Helps in digestion.
• Helps to maintain a desirable balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.
• Helps to suppress/fight against harmful bacteria in the digestive system, thereby helping to maintain a healthy digestive system.

      Prebiotics*     

• Prebiotic promotes the growth of good Bifidus bacteria to help maintain a healthy digestive system.
• Inulin helps support growth of beneficial bacteria/good intestinal flora in the gut.
• Oligofructose stimulates the bifido-bacteria, resulting in a significant increase of the beneficial bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract. At the same time, the presence of less desirable bacteria is significantly reduced.

    *     Need to specify the name(s) of the probiotic or prebiotic whenever a claim is made in relation to that probiotic or prebiotic.

List of acceptable nutrient function claims specific to infant food and foods for young children (up to 6 years of age)  

Choline helps support overall mental functioning.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are important building blocks for development of the brain and eyes in infant. (only for food for children up to 3 years of age)

Nucleotides are essential to normal cell function and replication, which are important for the overall growth and development of infant.

Taurine helps to support overall mental and physical development.

Zinc helps in physical development.

Our contact

Food Control Division
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority
5 Maxwell Road, #18-00, Tower Block, MND Complex, Singapore 069110
Tel: 6325 2579
Fax: 6324 4563

For enquiries:
Ms Diana Lee
Tel: 6325 8552
E-mail: diana_lee@ava.gov.sg

Ms Tan Yi Ling
Tel: 6325 8556
Email: tan_yi_ling@ava.gov.sg

Operating hours: