Food Labelling Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Part I Presentation of Prescribed Nutrition Labelling

1.  Prescribed nutrition labelling shall consist of such of the following items as under Part II are either required or permitted to be given. Subject to paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the items and, where applicable, their order and manner of listing, are—

energy	[x[ kJ and [x] kcal
protein	[x] g
carbohydrate	[x] g
of which:
sugars	[x] g
polyols	[x] g
starch	[x] g
fat	[x] g
of which:
saturates	[x] g
mono-unsaturates	[x] g
polyunsaturates	[x] g
cholesterol	[x] mg
fibre	[x] g
sodium	[x] g
[vitamins]	[x units]
[minerals]	[x units].

2.  In the event that there is also required to be given the name and amount of any substance which belongs to, or is a component of, one of the items already given such substance or component shall be listed immediately after the item to which it relates, and in the following manner—

[item]	[x] g or mg
of which
[substance or component]	[x] g or mg

3.—(a) For [vitamins] and [minerals] there shall be substituted, as appropriate, the names of any vitamin or mineral listed in Table A or B in Schedule 6.

(b) For [item] there shall be substituted the name of the relevant item from the list in paragraph 1.

(c) For [substance or component] there shall be substituted the name of the substance or component.

(d) For [x] there shall be substituted the appropriate amount in each case and, in respect of vitamins and minerals, such amounts—

(i) shall be expressed in the units of measurement specified in relation to the respective vitamins and minerals given in Table A or B in Schedule 6, and

(ii) shall also be expressed as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance specified for such vitamins and minerals in those Tables.

4.  All amounts given—

(a) are to be per hundred grams or hundred millilitres of the food, as is appropriate, and, where it is wished to do so, those in either—

(i) a quantified serving of the food, or

(ii) provided that the total number of portions contained in that sales unit of the food is stated, in one such portion of the food,

(b) shall be such amounts as are contained in the food as sold to the ultimate consumer or to a catering establishment save that, where sufficiently detailed instructions are given for the preparation for consumption of the food, they may (if expressly said to be so) be such amounts as are contained in the food after the completion of such preparation in accordance with the said instructions, and

(c) shall be averages based, either alone or in any combination, on—

(i) the manufacturer’s analysis of the food,

(ii) a calculation from the actual average values of the ingredients used in the preparation of the food,

(iii) a calculation from generally established and accepted data,

and “averages” for the purposes of this sub-paragraph means the figures which best represent the respective amounts of the nutrients which a given food contains, there having been taken into account seasonal variability, patterns of consumption and any other factor which may cause the actual amount to vary.

5.  In the calculation of the energy value the following conversion factors shall be employed—

(a) 1 gram of carbohydrate (excluding polyols) shall be deemed to contribute 17 kJ (4 kcal);

(b) 1 gram of polyols shall be deemed to contribute 10 kJ (2.4 kcal);

(c) 1 gram of protein shall be deemed to contribute 17 kJ (4 kcal);

(d) 1 gram of fat shall be deemed to contribute 37 kJ (9 kcal);

(e) 1 gram of ethanol shall be deemed to contribute 29 kJ (7 kcal);

(f) 1 gram of organic acid shall be deemed to contribute 13 kJ (3 kcal).

6.  Any prescribed nutrition labelling shall be presented together in one conspicuous place—

(a) in tabular form with any numbers aligned, or

(b) if there is insufficient space to permit tabular listing, in linear form.