|
Country |
Basic Label Requirements |
Labeling of
Ingredients, Additives, Allergens, or Nutrients |
Sources |
|
Australia |
Labels must include the following information:
- Name
- Lot identification
- Name and address of supplier
- Date marking (if shelf life is less than two years)
- Directions for use and storage
- Allergen information
- Declaration of alcohol by volume:
· If over 1.15% alcohol, this should be expressed in mL/100mL or X% alcohol by volume
· If content is between 0.5 and 1.15%, label should state “contains not more than X% alcohol by volume”
· Labeling must be accurate to within 0.3% for beer; 1.5% for wine; and 0.5% for spirits
- Number of standard drinks per container:
· One standard drink is the amount of the beverage that contains 10 grams ethanol, measured at 20˚C. If container holds fewer than 10 standard drinks, this estimage should be accurate to one decimal place; above 10 drinks, accurate to the nearest whole number.
- Country of origin (for wine) |
Alcoholic beverages in the categories beer, wine, fruit wine, and spirits are exempt from including nutrition information panels, ingredient lists, and percentage labeling of characterizing ingredient.
- Allergens: The new general food labeling provisions of the Food Standards (Volume Two) require a new mandatory declaration of certain allergenic substances. Additives and processing aids containing eggs or egg products, casein and potassium caseinate, milk or milk products, fish or fish products, nuts, added sulphites in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more, and some other substances must be declared if any traces could remain in the final product (see Allergen Labeling, Mandatory Declaration).
- Additives: Permitted additives and processing aids for wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine are prescribed by Standard 4.5.1. Any additives not listed in the Table to Clause 3 of Standard 4.5.1 are illegal to use in Australia. Caution: Where there is no added sulphur dioxide, care must be taken in any claim that the wine is “sulphur- or preservative-free,” as sulphur dioxide can be produced by yeast. “Preservative-free” should only be claimed if there is less than 10mg/L of total sulphur dioxide in the wine.
For more information, see: Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code, Standards 4.5.1, 1.3.1, and 1.2.3, Clause 4.
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Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code:
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au
Part 2.7 of the Food Standards Code (ANZFSC) lists the requirements for alcohol beverages
Australian Wine Law: Wine Law, Winemaking and Labelling at: http://www.awbc.com.au/library/WineLaw/Wine_law_making.pdf
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Austria* |
See European Union (EU) Regulations
|
See EU Regulations on Ingredients and Allergens
Additional requirements:
- Wine labels must show the origin of the wine and the amount of sugar and alcohol indicated as dry, semi-dry, sweet, or semi-sweet
- Beer labels must show the amount of flavorings in weight percentage, amount of alcohol in volume percentage, and conditions for storage |
Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW):
http://www.lebensministerium.at
EU Regulations apply:
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l32005.htm
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Belgium* |
See EU Regulations |
See EU Regulations on Ingredients and Allergens
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Bureau for Import and Export Licences and Agricultural Refunds (Bureau d'Intervention et de Restitution Belge):
http://www.birb.be
EU Regulations apply:
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l32005.htm |
|
Belize |
Labels must include the following information:
- Name of food or beverage
- Name and address of the manufacturer
- Net contents and weight/volume
- Country of origin
- Batch/lot identification number
- Date marketing
- Storage instructions
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- List of ingredients in descending order
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Belize Agricultural Health Authority:
http://www.baha.bz/
Belize Customs:
http://www.customs.gov.bz
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|
Brazil |
Labels must include the following information:
- Name of product
- Beverage type (e.g., wine or beer)
- Importer name and contact information, if applicable
- Company identification number
- Country of origin
- Alcohol content
- Net volume (in metric units)
- Date of production |
- List food additives
- Statement of ingredients
|
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA):
http://www.agricultura.com.br
Farm Ministry (Ministerio da Fazenda):
http://www.fazenda.gov.br
National Advertising Regulatory Council (Conselho Nacional de Auto-Regulamentação Publicitária, CONAR):
http://www.conar.org.br |
|
Canada |
A beverage containing 1.1% or more alcohol by volume is considered an alcohol beverage. These products must meet the labeling and compositional requirements found in Division 2 of the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR). (Note: Readers are also advised to verify provincial legislation as it may differ.)
Labels must include the following information:
- Common name:
· The common name is defined under B.01.001 and required by B.01.006 of the FDR
- Company name and address
- Net quantities in metric units
- Alcohol content by volume:
· All alcohol beverages containing 1.1% or more alcohol by volume must declare the amount of alcohol contained in the product. The alcohol content declaration must be shown as "X % alcohol by volume" or be abbreviated "X % alc./vol." [B.02.003]. Periods must follow both abbreviations
- Durable life date (if shelf life is 90 days or less)
- Country of origin |
- Division 2 of the FDR identifies drinks as having a standardized composition; standardized drinks are not required to list ingredients. Non-standardized drinks must list ingredients in descending order by weight proportion.
- Nutrition facts labeling is not required for products containing more than 0.5% ABV unless a nutritional claim or any claim referring to energy benefit is made by the product. The phrase “nutrition facts,” if appearing on the label, also requires a Nutrition Facts label. Unstandardized beverages containing added sweeteners are required to carry the Nutrition Facts table and meet the labeling requirements for these artificial sweeteners.
- Allergen labeling is voluntary |
Canadian Food Inspection Agency:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml
Guide to Labeling Alcoholic Beverages:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/guide/ch10e.shtml#10.1
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Chile
|
Labels must include the following information:
- Name and description
- Bottler name and address
- Country of origin
- Alcohol content
- Distributor name and address
- Net volume |
- Ingredient lists are only required for mixed drinks (i.e., with multiple ingredients)
- Labels on wine must describe the origin, variety of grape, and year of harvest:
· At least 75% of the grapes used to produce the wine must fit the description used
· The expression “Estate Bottled” or similar expressions may be used when the wine comes from grapes grown on lands owned or rented by the vineyard and located in the same geographical area as the denomination of origin |
Ministry of Agriculture
Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG):
http://www.sag.gob.cl |
|
China |
Labels must include the following information:
- Name of product
- Alcoholic strength at 20°C:
· The percentage pure alcohol in total volume or mass (this should be expressed as “Alcoholic Strength X%”)
- Original extract content (e.g., malt or fruit)
- Name and address of manufacturer and distributor
- Date labeling and storage instructions:
· Wine and other alcohol beverages with alcoholic strength more than 10% by volume are exempt
- Net content
- Date labeling must include both date of packaging as well as durability information.
- Recommended content information:
· Includes lot number, drinking methods, and type of product (e.g., dry/sweet, sugar content, flavoring, for flavored spirits)
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- List of ingredients is required (single-ingredient beverages—such as grape wine—are exempt). “Raw materials” or “Raw and auxiliary materials” are appropriate titles. Various kinds of materials and raw materials need to be listed in decreasing order based on the consumption in the production process
- Nutrition and energy labeling is voluntary and needs to meet general food/nutrition labeling standards |
USDA GAIN Report, GB-10344
China - Labeling Prepackaged Alcoholic Beverages: http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200501/146118532.doc
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine:
http://english.aqsiq.gov.cn
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Colombia |
Labels must include the following information:
- Producer, importer, or bottler name and address
- Sanitary registry number (granted by INVIMA)
- Lot production Number
- Alcohol Content
- Net content (metric units only)
|
N/A |
National Institute for the Surveillance of Food and Medicine (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos, INVIMA):
http://www.invima.gov.co
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarollo Rural):
http://www.minagricultura.gov.co
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Costa Rica |
Labels must include the following information:
- Product name
- Net content in SI units (e.g., liters)
- Manufacturer name and address
- Bottler
- Distributor or importer
- Country of origin
- Lot ID must appear on each package, either written in plain language or in code
- Expiration date (for alcohol beverages with less than 10% alcohol per volume)
- Directions for use
- Sanitary registry number
- Alcohol percentage (for spirits) |
- Ingredients list prefaced with the term “Ingredients”
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Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud):
http://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index1.htm
Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce – oversees the National Labeling Office
(Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio):
http://www.meic.go.cr |
|
Czech Republic*
|
See EU Regulations
- Additional considerations:
· For wine that is more than 3 years old, the indicated alcohol by volume percentage should not vary by greater than 0.8% |
See under EU Regulations for Ingredients and Allergens |
Ministry of Agriculture,
Food Production Department:
http://www.mze.cz
Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority:
http://www.szpi.gov.cz/eng/wine
EU Regulations apply:
http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l32005.htm |
|
Denmark* |
See EU Regulations
|
See under EU Regulations for Ingredients and Allergens
|
Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen):
http://www.fvst.dk
Danish Directorate for Food, Fisheries and Agribusiness (Direktoratet for Fødevare Erhverv):
http://www.dffe.dk
EU Regulations apply:
http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l32005.htm |
|
Dominican Republic |
Labels must include the following information:
- Food name
- Net weight by volume
- Name and address of the producer, wholesaler, importer, exporter, or retailer
- Country of origin
- Lot identification
- Minimum duration date and preserving instructions, if applicable
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- List of ingredients:
· List should be given in decreasing percentages of ingredient (if water is added, it must also be indicated in the list of ingredients)
- Food additives, if any
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Dirección General de Normas y Sistemas de Calidad:
http://www.seic.gov.do/digenor/index.aspx
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European Union
(see also all countries marked with an asterisk, *)
|
Labels must include the following information:
- Name under which the product is sold:
· No trademark or brand name may substitute for the generic name, but may be used in addition
- Net quantity of pre-packaged beverage in metric units (e.g., liter, centiliter, milliliter)
- Indication of the acquired alcoholic strength:
· The labeling of beverages containing more than 1.2% by volume of alcohol must indicate the actual alcoholic strength by volume, i.e. showing the word “alcohol” or the abbreviation “alc.” followed by the symbol “% vol.”
- Date of minimum durability:
· This must consist of day, month, and year—in that order—and be preceded by the words "best before," "best before end," or "use by" for highly perishable goods.
- Any special conditions for keeping or use
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