Food Labelling Services
Services offered by Gabi Steenkamp
Below is a list and description of some of the many food labelling services offered. Should you not find what you are looking for, please contact us and we will send you a customized quote for the services you require. Should we not be able to help you, we will do our best to put you in contact with someone you will be able to help you.
All label information is treated with strict confidentiality and we are happy to sign an non disclosure agreement.
Food Label evaluation
Food label evaluation on product labels includes a comprehensive written report that could be used to correct other labels of a similar nature.
This does not include ANY claims assessments.
The report will set out exactly what has to be deleted, corrected or added to your label to make it compliant with the South African labelling regulations.
If there are 3 or 4 products that have similar labels but have different names, nutritional values and ingredients, then a comprehensive report will be compiled on one of the products and the information of the variants that differs from the first one (for example the ingredients list and the nutritional table) will be added to the report at a reduced cost.
We require a clear PDF (500KB -1MB) of the full label with exact measurements, as well as a brief description of the product in the packaging or a sample of the product.
Ingredients statement with allergen declaration
This is a stand alone report (without a full label evaluation) that sets out exactly how the ingredients statement must be compiled, using the correct wording, brackets and where to include allergens, and QUIDS.
We need your formulation and method of production, or the recipe, to be able to this work.
Nutrient content claims assessment
This report sets out all the nutrient content claims (for example, high in fibre, low in cholesterol), with the mandatory wording, that can be made on your product. This is based on the full nutritional analysis of your product as carried out by a SANAS approved lab, which you would have to send to us.
Compilation of the regulated Typical Analysis Table from tested lab results
This is a stand alone service that we offer for those producers who are unsure how to take the values from a lab COA (certificate of analysis) report and reflect the correct values and units of measure on pack. The correct tabular format with the appropriate rounding off of values is done as well as correct headers and footers as required. The appropriate serving size is scientifically determined within the tenets of the food labelling regulations.
Enhanced proof reading of labels
This is a proof reading of your “final” product label where we have not done the initial label evaluation. It is advised that labels are submitted BEFORE finalization for printing to ensure that there are no non compliance issues or corrections that still have to be done.
Zoom or Skype interactive session
An online interactive discussion with yourself, your marketing team, or your graphic artist(s) setting out specific labeling requirements for your product labels.
Proof reading report
Once you have made the recommended corrections from our label evaluation report, we will proof read your label to check compliance and include any further corrections, deletions or insertions that need to be made.
All proof-reading is done by two people – one to check spelling, grammar and the use of the English language, the second person checks for compliance with the food labelling laws of SA.
Specification sheet compilation
Specification sheets are required for every product produced in your facility and the information they should contain is set out in the guidelines of the food labelling regulations (R146). Should you not have the technically skilled staff to do this function for you, then we will be able to help you with this task.
Nutrient function claims assessment
A nutrient function claim is a claim where a specific nutrient is singled out as having a particular function in the body. For example: calcium and bone health. This report assesses the nutrient function claims made on a product.
All the wording and criteria for such claims are carefully checked and recommendations are made for changes, additions or deletions on the label in order for it to be fully compliant. For example, low GI claim, sports claim, slimming claim, etc.
Graphic artist version
This report is specifically for your graphic artist, setting out label spacing and lettering size requirements etc. to assist the graphic artist with your label design. It also includes forbidden words and non-compliant picture types on food labels.
Compilation of GDA (Guideline Dietary Allowances) information on packaging.
This is not required by labelling regulations but should you wish to put GDA’s on pack we can calculate the correct values and set out the correct wording for your label(s).
Slimming claims
Slimming claims as set out in the DRAFT R429 need careful consideration as there are many requirements that need to be fulfilled. Firstly the product must pass the Nutrient Profile Model. And, secondly, the full proviso’s for Low GI claims must also be met along with many other criteria. All of these are assessed in this report. It sets out exactly what is still required, suggestions on how to achieve this and what needs to be changed, added or deleted on the label.
QUID (Quantitave Ingredient Declaration)
QUID is required on all labels where attention is drawn to an ingredient in words, pictures or by implication. The QUID report sets out how ingoing percentages of ingredients are calculated, together with the correct ingredients statements including the QUID percentages.
Your recipe/formulation is required in order to do this work.
Calculated nutritional values
For those products where no nutritional claims are made, the nutritional analysis values may be calculated. Physical laboratory analysis is not required.
We do calculated nutritional values on any product, either for the final label or during product development to give an indication of where the nutritional values lie.
Calculated nutritional analysis is much cheaper than lab testing. In order for us to do the calculated nutritional values of a product we need the formulation (we are happy to sign a NDF agreement) and all the nutritional information of each ingredient that is a manufactured ingredient (for example margarine, mayonnaise, jam, spice mixes, etc.).
Thus we need the following nutrient values for these ingredients:
- Energy
- Protein
- Carbohydrate
- Total sugar
- Total fat
- Saturated fat
- Dietary fat
- Sodium
Our extensive database has values for all generic foods such as butter, sugar, vegetables, fruits, unprocessed meats, etc., but all manufactured ingredients nutritional values must be supplied by yourselves. This information should be readily available from your supplier.