Last year, Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 specify the requirements for ‘Display of information in Food Service Establishments’. Display of information in Food Service Establishments commonly known as Menu Labelling is the declaration of Calorific Value and Nutrition Content of freshly served food and beverages served at hotels, restaurants, QSRs and other food service establishments.

FSSAI issued directions dated 28.12.2021 under Section 16(5) of the FSS Act vide which it was conveyed to all the Food Safety and Licensing officials that test samples of the food items listed on the menu cards/boards/booklets by the FBOs shall not be taken up to check/verify the respective declarations of calorific value and nutritional information till 30th June 2022, in order to grant FBOS with additional time to adopt the Menu Labelling regulations and be self-compliant.

The menu labelling regulation is a crucial step towards enabling customers to make informed choices about the calorie and nutritional value of menu items while ordering food. Dining out is an integral part of consumer lives it is essential that consumers understand what they eat.