NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS [ S.L.231.35 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 231.35
NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS 
REGULATIONS
1st January, 1999
Legal Notice 247 of 1998.
Title.
Foodstuffs Regulations.
Applicability of 
these regulations.
2. (1) These regulations concern nutrition labelling of
foodstuffs to be delivered as such to the ultimate consumer. They
shall also apply to foodstuffs intended for supply to restaurants,
hospitals, canteens and other similar mass caterers (hereinafter
referred to as "mass caterers").
(2) These regulations shall not apply to -
( a ) natural mineral waters or other waters intended for
human consumption;
( b ) diet integrators and, or food supplements.
(3) These regulations shall apply without prejudice to labelling
provisions of other regulations relating to foodstuffs intended for
particular nutritional uses.
(4) Subject to sub-regulation (5), nutrition labelling shall be
optional.
(5) Where a nutrition claim appears on labelling, in
presentation or in advertising, with the exclusion of generic
advertising, nutrition labelling shall be compulsory.
(6) These regulations shall not apply in the case of non-
pre-packaged foodstuffs put up for sale to the ultimate consumer or
to mass caterers, and of foodstuffs packed at the point of sale at the
request of the purchaser or pre-packaged with a view to immediate
sale.
Interpretation.
"average value" means such value as best represents the amount
of the nutrient which a given food contains, and reflects allowances
for seasonal variability, patterns of consumption and other factors
which may cause the actual value to vary;
"carbohydrates" means any carbohydrate which is metabolised in
man, and includes polyols;
"fat" means total lipids, and includes phospholipids;
"mono-unsaturates" means fatty acids with one  cis  double bond;
"nutrition claim" means any representation or advertising
message which states, suggests or implies that a foodstuff has
particular nutrition properties due to the energy (calorific value)
which it -
- provides,
2 [ S.L.231.35 NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS
- provides at a reduced or increased rate,
- or does not provide,
and/or due to the nutrients which it -
- contains,
- contains in reduced or increased proportions,
- or does not contain:
Provided that a reference to qualities or quantities of a
nutrient shall not constitute a nutrition claim in so far as it is
required by other legislation;
"nutrition labelling" means any information appearing on
labelling and relating to:
(i) energy value;
(ii) the following nutrients:
- protein,
- carbohydrate,
- fat,
- fibre,
- sodium,
- vitamins and minerals listed in the Schedule and
present in significant amounts as defined in that
Schedule;
"polyunsaturates" means fatty acids with cis, cis-methylene
interrupted double bonds;
"protein" means the protein content calculated using the formula:
protein = total Kjeldahl nitrogen x 6.25;
"saturates" means fatty acids without double bond;
"sugars" means all monosaccharides and disaccharides present in
food, but excludes polyols.
Permitted nutrition 
claims.
4. The only nutrition claims permitted shall be those relating
to energy, to the nutrients listed in paragraph (ii) of the definition
"nutrition labelling" in regulation 3, and to substances which
belong to or which are components of a category of those nutrients.
Information to be 
given.
5. (1) Where nutrition labelling is provided, the information
to be given shall consist of either Group 1 or Group 2 in the
following order:
Group 1
( a ) energy value;
( b ) the amounts of protein, carbohydrate and fat;
Group 2
( a ) energy value;
( b ) the amounts of protein, carbohydrate, sugars, fat,
saturates, fibre and sodium.
(2) Where a nutrition claim is made for sugars, saturates, fibre
or sodium, the information to be given shall consist of Group 2.
NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS [ S.L.231.35 3
(3) Nutrition labelling may also include the amounts of one or
more of the following:
- starch,
- polyols,
- mono-unsaturates,
- polyunsaturates,
- cholesterol,
- any of the minerals or vitamins listed in the Schedule
and present in significant amounts as defined in that
Schedule.
(4) The declaration of substances which belong to or are
components of one of the categories of nutrients referred to in sub-
regulations (1) and (3) shall be compulsory where a nutrition claim
is made.
(5) Whenever the amount of polyunsaturates and, or
monounsaturates and, or the cholesterol rate is given, the amount of
saturates shall also be given, sohowever that the declaration of
saturates shall not constitute in this case a nutrition claim within
the meaning of sub-regulation (2).
Energy values.
the following conversion factors:
- carbohydrate (except polyols) 4.0 kcal/g 17kJ/g
-  polyols 2.4 kcal/g 10 kJ/g
-  protein 4.0 kcal/g 17 kJ/g
-  fat 9.0 kcal/g 37 kJ/g
-  alcohol (ethanol) 7.0kcal/g 29kJ/g
-  organic acid 3.0 kcal/g 13 kJ/g.
Method of 
declaration.
7. (1) The declaration of the energy value and of the
proportion of nutrients or their components shall be numerical. The
units to be used are the following:
- energy kJ and kcal
- protein grams (g)
- carbohydrate grams (g)
- fat grams (g)
- fibre grams (g)
- sodium grams (g)
- cholesterol milligrams (mg)
- vitamins and minerals the units specified in the Schedule.
(2) Information shall be expressed per 100g or per 100ml In
addition, this information may be given per serving as quantified
on the label or per portion available, provided that the number of
portions contained in the package is stated.
(3) The amounts mentioned shall be those of the food as sold.
4 [ S.L.231.35 NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS
Where appropriate, this information may relate to the foodstuff
after preparation, provided that sufficiently detailed preparation
instructions are given and the information relates to the food as
prepared for consumption.
(4) Information on vitamins and minerals shall also be
expressed as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance
(RDA) given in the Schedule for the amounts as specified in sub-
regulation (2). The percentage of the recommended daily allowance
(RDA) for vitamins and minerals may be given in graphical form.
(5) Where sugars and, or polyols and, or starch are declared,
such declaration shall immediately follow the declaration of the
carbohydrate content in the following manner:
- carbohydrate of which: g
- sugars g
- polysols g
- starch g.
(6) Where the amount and, or type of fatty acid and, or the
cholesterol rate is declared, such declaration shall immediately
follow the declaration of total fats in the following manner:
- fat of which: g
- saturates g
- mono-unsaturates g
- polyunsaturates g
- cholesterol mg.
(7) The declared values shall, according to the individual case,
be average values based on:
( a ) the manufacturer’s analysis of the food;
( b ) a calculation from the known or actual average values
of the ingredients used;
( c ) a calculation from generally established and accepted
data.
(8) The information covered by these regulations must be
presented together in one place in tabular form, with the numbers
aligned if space permits. Where space does not permit, the
information shall be presented in linear form. It shall be printed in
legible and indelible characters in a conspicuous place.
(9) The information covered by these regulations shall appear
in at least one or more of the following languages:
- Maltese
- English
- Italian.
This provision shall not prevent such information from
being additionally indicated in other languages.
NUTRITION LABELLING FOR FOODSTUFFS [ S.L.231.35 5
SCHEDULE
(Regulation 3)
Vitamins and Minerals which may be declared and their 
Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)
Vitamin A, µg 800
Vitamin D, µg 5
Vitamin E, mg 10
Vitamin C, mg 60
Thiamine, mg 1.4
Riboflavin, mg 1.6
Niacin, mg 18
Vitamin B6, mg 2
Folacin, µg 200
Vitamin B12, µg 1
Biotin, mg 0.15
Pantothenic acid, mg 6
Calcium, mg 800
Phosphorus, mg 800
Iron, mg 14
Magnesium, mg 300
Zinc, mg 15
Iodine, ,µg 150
As a rule, 15% of the recommended daily allowance
specified in this Schedule supplied by 100g or 100ml or per
package if the package contains only a single portion, should be the
percentage taken into consideration in deciding what constitutes a
significant amount.
