Standard 1.2.3
Mandatory Warning and Advisory Statements and Declarations
Purpose
This Standard sets out mandatory advisory statements and declarations which must be made in relation to certain foods or foods containing certain substances.
Table of Provisions
1 Interpretation
2 Mandatory advisory statements and declarations
3 Mandatory warning statements and declarations
4 Mandatory declaration of certain substances in food
5 Advisory statement in relation to foods containing polyols or polydextrose
Clauses
1 Deleted
2 Mandatory advisory statements and declarations
(1) The label on a package of food listed in column 1 of the Table to this clause must include the advisory statement listed in relation to that food in column 2 of the Table.
(2) Where a food listed in column 1 of the Table to this clause is not required to bear a label pursuant to clause 2 of Standard 1.2.1, the advisory statement listed in relation to that food in column 2 of the Table, must be –
(a) displayed on or in connection with the display of the food; or
(b) provided to the purchaser upon request.
Editorial note:
Paragraph 2(2)(b) allows the retailer of a food to provide the information specified in the Table to clause 2 verbally or in writing.
Table to clause 2
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Food | Advisory Statement |
Bee pollen presented as a food, or a food containing bee pollen as an ingredient as defined in Standard 1.2.4 | Statement to the effect that the product contains bee pollen which can cause severe allergic reactions |
Cereal-based beverages, where these foods contain no more than 2.5% m/m fat and less than 3% m/m protein, or less than 3% m/m protein only. | Statement to the effect that the product is not suitable as a complete milk replacement for children under the age of five years. |
Evaporated and dried products made from cereals, where these foods contain no more than 2.5% m/m fat and less than 3% m/m protein, or less than 3% m/m protein only, as reconstituted according to directions for direct consumption. | Statement to the effect that the product is not suitable as a complete milk replacement for children under the age of five years. |
Evaporated milks, dried milks and equivalent products made from soy or cereals, where these foods contain no more than 2.5% m/m fat as reconstituted according to directions for direct consumption. | Statement to the effect that the product is not suitable as a complete milk food for children under the age of two years. |
Food containing aspartame or aspartame-acesulphame salt | Statement to the effect that the product contains phenylalanine |
Food containing quinine | Statement to the effect that the product contains quinine |
Food containing guarana or extracts of guarana | Statement to the effect that the product contains caffeine |
Foods containing added phytosterol esters | Statements to the effect that –
1. when consuming this product, it should be consumed as part of a healthy diet;
2. this product may not be suitable for children under the age of five years and pregnant or lactating women; and
3. plant sterols do not provide additional benefits when consumed in excess of three grams per day. |
Foods containing added tall oil phytosterols | Statements to the effect that –
1. when consuming this product, it should be consumed as part of a healthy diet;
2. this product may not be suitable for children under 5 years and pregnant or lactating women; and
3. plant sterols do not provide additional benefits when consumed in excess of three grams per day. |
Kola beverages containing added caffeine, or food containing a kola beverage containing added caffeine as an ingredient as defined in Standard 1.2.4. | Statement to the effect that the product contains caffeine |
Milk, and beverages made from soy or cereals, where these foods contain no more than 2.5% m/m fat. | Statement to the effect that the product is not suitable as a complete milk food for children under the age of two years. |
Table to clause 2 (continued)
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Food | Advisory Statement |
Propolis presented as a food, or food containing propolis as an ingredient as defined in Standard 1.2.4. | Statement to the effect that the product contains propolis which can cause severe allergic reactions |
Unpasteurised egg products | Statement to the effect that the product is unpasteurised |
Unpasteurised milk and unpasteurised liquid milk products | Statement to the effect that the product has not been pasteurised |
Editorial note:
‘Milk’ is defined in Standard 2.5.1. – ‘dried milks’ and ‘evaporated milks’ are defined in Standard 2.5.7.
The term ‘reconstituted’ in the Table to clause 2 means, in relation to evaporated milks and dried milks, reconstituted to the original level of hydration.
Aspartame-acesulphame salt (INS 962) is specified in the Table to clause 2 because it is a food additive which is distinct from mixtures of aspartame and acesulphame K.
3 Mandatory warning statements and declarations
(1) The label on a package of food listed in column 1 of the Table to this clause must include the warning statement listed in relation to that food in column 2 of the Table.
(2) Where a food listed in column 1 of the Table to this clause, is not required to bear a label pursuant to clause 2 of Standard 1.2.1, the warning statement listed in relation to that food in column 2 of the Table, must be displayed on or in connection with the display of the food.
Table to clause 3
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Food | Warning Statement |
Royal jelly when presented as a food; or Food containing royal jelly as an ingredient as defined in Standard 1.2.4 | This product contains royal jelly which has been reported to cause severe allergic reactions and in rare cases, fatalities, especially in asthma and allergy sufferers |
4 Mandatory declaration of certain substances in food
(1) The presence in a food of any of the substances listed in the Table to this clause, must be declared in accordance with subclause (2), when present as –
(a) an ingredient; or
(b) an ingredient of a compound ingredient; or
(c) a food additive or component of a food additive; or
(d) a processing aid or component of a processing aid.
(2) The presence of the substances listed in the Table to this clause must be –
(a) declared on the label on a package of the food; or
(b) where the food is not required to bear a label pursuant to clause 2 of Standard 1.2.1 –
(i) declared on or in connection with the display of the food; or
(ii) declared to the purchaser upon request.
Editorial note:
Paragraph 4(2)(b) allows the retailer of a food to provide the information specified in the Table to clause 2 verbally or in writing.
Table to clause 4
Cereals containing gluten and their products, namely, wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt and their hybridised strains other than where these substances are present in beer and spirits standardised in Standards 2.7.2 and 2.7.5 respectively |
Crustacea and their products |
Egg and egg products |
Fish and fish products |
Milk and milk products |
Peanuts and soybeans, and their products |
Added Sulphites in concentrations of 10 mg/kg or more |
Tree nuts and sesame seeds and their products |
Editorial note:
1. Clause 4 can be complied with by listing those substances in the Table in the ingredient list.
2. Any exemptions in relation to ingredient listing do not override the requirement to declare the presence of the substances listed in the Table to clause 4.
3. Manufacturers occasionally substitute one ingredient for another within the same class of foods. Where this involves a substance listed in the Table to clause 4 there must be an indication on the label that the substance is in the food. Manufacturers may indicate in the ingredient list that the product contains one substance or another (e.g. brazil nuts or cashew nuts) in cases where substitutions occur regularly.
4. Expressions such as ‘egg and egg product’ or ‘crustacea and their products’ include all products derived from the substance listed in the Table to clause 4.
5. Sulphites should be declared in the same manner as other food additives.
6. Coconut is the fruit of the palm (Cocos nucifera) and is not generally considered to be a tree nut.
5 Advisory statement in relation to foods containing polyols or polydextrose
(1) The label on a package of food must include an advisory statement to the effect that excess consumption of the food may have a laxative effect, where the food contains any of the substances –
(a) listed in Table 1 to this clause, either singularly or in combination at a level of or in excess of 10 g/100 g; or
(b) listed in Table 2 to this clause, either singularly or in combination at a level of or in excess of 25 g/100 g; or
(c) listed in Table 1 in combination with any of the substances listed in Table 2 at a level of or in excess of 10 g/100 g.
(2) Where food containing any of the substances referred to in subclause (1) is not required to bear a label pursuant to clause 2 of Standard 1.2.1, an advisory statement to the effect that excess consumption of the food may have a laxative effect, must be –
(a) displayed on or in connection with the display of the food; or
(b) provided to the purchaser upon request.
Editorial note:
Paragraph 5(2)(b) allows the retailer of a food to provide the information specified in the Table to clause 2 verbally or in writing.
Table 1 to clause 5
Substance |
Lactitol |
Maltitol |
Maltitol syrup |
Mannitol |
Xylitol |
Table 2 to clause 5
Substance |
Erythritol |
Isomalt |
Polydextrose |
Sorbitol |
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