FSSAI has issued a draft notice calling for views and suggestions from stakeholders of food service establishments with regard to the display of information on menu labels.

According to the notice, under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, in Regulation 2.4 related to Specific Requirements/ Restrictions, on the manner of labelling, a new clause, namely Display of information in food service establishments, should be added.

The clause states, “Food service establishments having a Central license or outlets at 20 or more locations shall display the calorific value of each food item sold by them on their menu cards or boards. Additionally, reference information on the requirements of 2,000Kcal energy for an average adult per day shall also be displayed clearly and prominently.”

At the point of sale or service of the food, the food service establishment should display information, including any warning or statutory declarations required under the regulations, information relating to allergens in the food, logo for vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, information relating to gluten-free and low gluten status in food and information relating to organic food or ingredients.

The draft also covers the e-commerce food business operators (FBOs). They are instructed to provide the all information in their menu links with each food service establishment on their platform.

However, the provisions will not be applicable to event caterers and food service premises that operate for less than 60 days in a calendar year, either consecutively or non-consecutively; self-serve condiments that are free of charge and not listed on the menu, and special-order items or modified meals and menu items as per the customers’ requests.

The clause also directs the food service establishments to keep written nutritional information on the food items sold by them, either in the form of booklets, handouts or on their website. This shall be provided to consumers upon request.