GB 7718-2011 National Food Safety standard General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods
Issued on:April 20, 2011
Enforced on:April 20, 2012
Status: Effective
Translated by: GlobalFoodmate Translation Center
Language:English
1 Scope
This standard applies to the labeling of all prepackaged foods to be offered directly and indirectly as such to the consumers.
This standard is not applicable to the labeling of food package for storage and transportation purposes that provides protection for the prepackaged foods during storage and transportation, as well as the labeling of foods in bulk and foods made and sold on the spot.
2 Terms and Definitions
2.1 Prepackaged foods
Prepackaged foods mean foods prepackaged or made up in advance with a measured quantity in packaging materials and containers, including the foods prepackaged and made up in advance with a measured quantity in a package and container, and with a uniform labeling of weight or volume within certain quantitative limitations.
2.2 Food label
Food label means any word, pictorial, mark or other descriptive matter on the package of foods.
2.3 Ingredient
Ingredient means any substance, including a food additive, used in the manufacture or processing of a food and present (although possibly in a modified form) in the final product.
2.4 Production date (Date of manufacture)
Production date means the date on which the food becomes the final product, including packaging date or filling date, i.e., the date on which a food is packed (filled) into the package or container in which it will be ultimately sold.
2.5 Date of minimum durability Date of minimum durability means the date which signifies the end of the period under any storage conditions stated on the label of the prepackaged food, during which the quality of the product will be preserved and the product will remain fully marketable and retain any specific qualities for which tacit or express claims have been made on its label.
2.6 Specification
Specification means the expression of relation between net content and number of foods contained in case that several prepackaged foods are contained in the same prepackage.
2.7 Principal Display Panel Principle display panel means the part of a package or packaging container of prepackaged foods which is most likely to be noticed.
3 Basic Requirements 3.1 It shall be subject to the provisions of laws, regulations, and related food safety standards.
3.2 It shall be clear, prominent, indelible and readily legible by the consumer under normal conditions of purchase.
3.3 It shall be easily understood by the public and supported by scientific evidence. Any indications, which are superstitious, pornographic, debasing other foods, or violating nutritional science, shall be prohibited.
3.4 It shall be true and accurate, but not be described or presented in a manner that is false, exaggerated, misleading or deceptive; or is likely to create an erroneous impression by means of different word sizes or color contrast.
3.5 It shall not be described or presented by words, pictorial or symbol which refer to directly or are suggestive , of any other product with which such food or its certain property might be confused.
3.6 Contents that can prevent or cure certain diseases shall not be labeled or indicated, and the non-health food shall not state or imply that it serves health-care functions. 3.7 It shall be applied in such a manner that they cannot become separated from food or their package (container).
3.8 The words used shall be in normal Chinese characters (except the trademark). All kinds of characters in a fancy style for purpose of decoration shall be correctly written and easily recognized.
3.8.1 Both Chinese phonetic alphabet and Chinese minority script may also be used, but the font size of Chinese phonetic alphabet shall not be larger than that of the corresponding Chinese characters.
3.8.2 Foreign languages may also be used in correspondence with the Chinese characters (except the trademark, manufacturer and address of the imported food, the name and address of the foreign distributor, and web address). The foreign font size shall not be larger than that of the corresponding Chinese characters (except the trademark).
3.9 Where the largest surface area of a package or container of the prepackaged food is more than 35 cm2 (See Annex A for the calculation method of largest surface area), the minimum size of the words, symbols and numerals in the mandatory labeling information shall not be less than 1.8 mm in height.
3.10 For a number of different varieties of foods independently packaged and contained in one sales unit that can be sold separately, food labeling of each independent package shall be declared respectively.
3.11 If the outer package is easy to open and identify, or through the outer wrapper, the whole or part of the mandatory labeling information indicated on the inner package (or container) can be clearly identified, the corresponding labeling information may not be repeated on the outer wrapper; otherwise, all the mandatory labeling information must be indicated on the outer wrapper as required.
4 Labeling information...
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Please note: Original English article of Global Foodmate of Information Service and Business Department, please indicate the source from the Global Foodmate if reprint.
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