With reference to pre-packaged items in India, it is mandatory to the manufacturer to put which of the following information on the main label, as per the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011? 1. List of ingredients including additives 2. Nutrition information 3. Recommendations, if any, made by the medical profession about the possibility of any allergic reactions 4. Vegetarian/non-vegetarian Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- (b) 2, 3 and 4
- (c) 1, 2 and 4 ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) 1 and 4 only
Why the answer is (c)
• The FSS (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 require every pre-packaged food to show the name of food, list of ingredients including additives (1), nutritional information per 100 g/ml (2), the vegetarian/non-vegetarian logo (4), net quantity, lot number, date of manufacture, best-before date and manufacturer's address.
• Medical recommendations about allergic reactions (3) are not a mandatory label item; only allergen declaration in the ingredient list is required.
• Hence 1, 2 and 4, option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- Medical recommendations are not mandatory; veg/non-veg logo is.
- (b) 2, 3 and 4
- Ingredients list is mandatory; medical recommendations are not.
- (d) 1 and 4 only
- Nutrition information is also mandatory.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2016, held on 7 August 2016. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.