In the EU, spice blend labels follow Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers. The UK kept a version of those rules in its own law after Brexit, with some differences. In the US, labels follow FDA food labelling rules.
The core content is similar in all three: a product name, an ingredient list, allergens, net quantity, a date mark and the responsible business. The details differ, so check your artwork against the current rules for each market before it goes to print in India.
What most labels must show
- The name of the food, for example "curry powder" or "garam masala".
- An ingredient list in descending order of weight.
- Allergens declared in the form your market requires.
- Net quantity in the units your market requires.
- A best-before date, plus a lot or batch code.
- The name and address of the business responsible for the food in that market.
- Storage conditions, if the shelf life depends on them.
- Country of origin, where the rules require it.
EU and UK points to watch
- The 14 listed allergens, including mustard, celery, sesame and cereals containing gluten, must be emphasised in the ingredient list, for example in bold.
- Herbs, spices and mixtures of them may be exempt from the nutrition declaration. Check whether your blend still qualifies if it contains salt, sugar or other ingredients.
- Additives such as anti-caking agents are named by function and by name or E number.
- The responsible business address must meet the rules of the market where the product is sold. UK and EU address rules changed after Brexit, so confirm the current position.
- Mandatory information must be in a language consumers in that country easily understand.
US points to watch
- The nine major food allergens, which include sesame but not mustard or celery, must be declared.
- Net quantity is shown in both metric and US customary units.
- Spices may in many cases be declared collectively as "spice", but some, such as paprika, turmeric and saffron, also act as colours and need specific wording.
- Some spice products may be exempt from the Nutrition Facts panel. Blends with salt, sugar or other ingredients may not be.
- Imported goods must be marked with their country of origin under US customs rules.
Getting it right from India
The factory prints what you send it, so the responsibility for compliant artwork usually sits with you as the brand owner and importer. Have a food law adviser in your market check the label before printing. Then check the printed proof and the first packs against the approved artwork.
Make sure the ingredient list matches the actual recipe and the supplier's own records, including carriers and anti-caking agents. Our guides to declaring allergens like mustard and celery and nutrition panel data go into more detail.
How we help
We collect full ingredient and allergen information from the grinder, check the printed packs against your approved artwork, and inspect coding before loading. We do not give legal advice, so your label should still be signed off by an adviser in your market. Ask for a free sourcing review to plan your range.