Allergen labelling requirements are different in various countries across Asia. This document summarises whether allergen labelling is mandatory or voluntary in each country, the types of allergens that is required to be declared and how they shall be declared in the respective countries. It should be noted that many Asian countries require mandatory declaration of allergen for food products with some differences in the types of allergens that need to be declared. Besides, it is important to note that the definition of various allergens might be different across countries/markets. It is advised that business shall refer to the country’s definition for different allergens while declaring allergens.

The Omnibus Law is written to amend 76 existing laws and eliminate 4,451 central government regulations and 15,965 regional government regulations. The changes are intended to stimulate domestic and foreign investment by improving the ease of doing business in the country with a more streamlined system, for example, to minimise overlapping regulations across government agencies at the Central Government or District Government. It covers a range of issues related to doing business in Indonesia, including employment law, government bureaucracy and environmental permits. This report highlights the key amendments related to the food industry and their potential impacts & opportunities on the food & beverage sector.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a concept where producers of products bear a significant degree of responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product life-cycle. This report aims to provide a regional overview of the  EPR legal framework as well as country-level assessments of the current EPR status for managing packaging waste.

Many countries in the region do not have provision on the use of recycled content for food application, while some have specific restrictions on its usage. This report aims to provide an overview of the current regulations pertaining to the use of recycled content for food contact materials in the region.

Within the region, most countries’ definition of processing aids matches the definition of processing aids under the Codex framework. However, a comparison of existing regulatory frameworks shows that processing aids are regulated to varying extents among the countries in Asia. For instance, processing aids are still regulated as food additives in some market while the rest regulates it under the processing aids regulations. This report aims to help companies understand the regulatory framework of processing aids in markets in the region.

Non-retail packaging refers to bulk packaging or containers that are used for shipment of goods between businesses and wholesalers, rather than for direct sale to consumers. Currently, no harmonised labelling standards for such packaging has been established yet. At Codex, “Non-retail container” means any container that is not intended to be offered for direct sale to the consumer. The food in the non-retail containers is for further food business activities before being offered to the consumer.

Codex is working with many member countries and observers to draft up a proposal and guidance on the labelling standards of non-retail containers. Once published, this guideline or standard would likely be adopted by Asian countries.

Carry-over of food additives in the final food product can occur as a result of the use of ingredients that inevitably contain food additives. In practice, food additives are regulated in many countries and there are specific limits established for each food additive to prevent overdose. In Asia, some countries have also established conditions that allow the carryover of food additives. One of the key conditions is that the quantity of the carried-over food additive from the food must not be greater than would be introduced by use of raw materials under proper technological conditions or manufacturing practice.

Use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food products is not uncommon in various markets. In Thailand, only imported foods are allowed to contain approved plant-derived GMOs. In the latest draft amendment in July 2019, Thai FDA proposed to enforce mandatory safety assessment for all GM foods. In addition, the regulation on labelling of GMOs in foods is currently undergoing internal reviews by the Sub-Committee of Food Labelling under Thailand Food and Drug Administration. Key proposed amendments to the labelling requirements include making any detectable level of GM microorganism component in food product mandatory for GM labelling, introduction of a yellow triangular symbol with the text “GMO” and requirement to indicate a statement that food is produced from a specific GM plant or animal or microorganism. This report evaluates the draft amendments and its impact to industry and aims to provide clarity for industry to take necessary actions.

Foods subject to irradiation may be of food safety or health concern in some countries. In general, many countries in Asia require a statement that imply that the food has undergone irradiation and/or the international Radura symbol. This report aims to provide a summary of the labelling requirements for irradiated food in Asia. The requirements are generally similar throughout Asia, with few exceptions seen in India, Japan and Philippines, which have additional labelling requirements.

Iodine is an essential micronutrient required for the production of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism and bone and brain development. To prevent widespread of iodine deficiency that iodine deficiency called goitre, or brain damage and intellectual disability in children, WHO recommended daily intake of iodine is best met by fortifying salt with iodine in countries where the problem of iodine deficiency is widespread. Today, salt iodisation is common in many countries as a strategy to increase iodine intake of the population.

This document summarises the regulations regarding salt iodisation across Asia. It should be noted that many countries in Asia require mandatory salt iodisation, while others adopt a voluntary approach. Some countries, however, still do not adopt salt iodisation.

Front-of-pack (FOP) label is increasing included within the national regulations as a form of secondary nutrition label. FOP label is designed to reinforce nutrition guidance by simplifying the nutrition information that is often presented on the back of packaging.  Globally, FOP labelling follows the principle that an FOP label should only be provided in addition to, and not in place of, the nutrient declaration.

The format of Front-of-pack (FOP) label varies across various countries globally and within Asia. Three types of FOP labels – food group information labels, fact-based labels and interpretive logos have been developed and applied to various products on a voluntary or mandatory basis. In some cases, two or more labels are shown on one product. To help businesses better understand the application of the FOP labels in Asia, the landscape study identifies the requirements of different systems recognised in various countries across Asia.