5.0 Labeling Requirements

General Foods
Malaysia

This section provides information on labeling requirements and the label approval process.

5.1 Mandatory Labeling Parameters

Product designation

(a) The appropriate designation of the food or a description of the food containing the common name of its principal ingredients; or if there is no common name of its principal ingredients, an appropriate descriptive term of the food which is not misleading either in conjunction with or in close proximity to the name of the food, such additional words in regard to the true nature and physical condition of the food. 

(b) In the case of mixed or blended food, words which indicate that the contents are mixed or blended, as the case may be, and such word shall be conjoined with the appropriate designation of the food, in the following form: "mixed" (here insert the appropriate designation of the food); or "blended" (here insert the appropriate designation of the food): Provided that the word "mixed" or "blended" shall not be conjoined with the appropriate designation of any mixed or blended food which does not comply with the standard prescribed by these Regulations.

The appropriate designation must be prominent in height, visual emphasis, and position so as to be conspicuous by comparison with any other matter excluding the trademark appearing on the label.

Ingredients list

Where the food consists of two or more ingredients, other than water, food additives, and added nutrients, the appropriate designation of each of those ingredients in descending order of proportion by weight and, wherever required by these Regulations, a declaration of the proportion of such ingredient. 

Statements for ingredients

• Where the food contains beef or pork, or its derivatives, or lard, a statement as to the presence in that food of such beef or pork, or its derivatives, or lard, in the form – "CONTAINS (state whether beef or pork, or its derivatives, or lard, as the case may be)" or in other words to this effect*
• Where the food contains added alcohol, a statement as to the presence in that food of such alcohol, in capital bold-faced lettering of a non-serif character not smaller than 6 points, in the form- "CONTAINS ALCOHOL" or in any other words to this effect* (*The statements shall appear immediately below the appropriate designation of the food.)
• Where the food contains edible fat or edible oil or both, a statement as to the presence in that food of such edible fat or edible oil or both, together with the common name of the animal or vegetable, as the case may be, from which such fat or oil is derived; 
• The source of food and food ingredients obtained through modern biotechnology shall be specified as follows: ‘genes derived from (source)’ 
• The sources of food and food ingredients obtained through modern biotechnology shall be specified as follows: ‘Genes derived from (common name of the animal)’
• Where the ingredients of the food, or the food additives added to such food, are derived from an animal, the common name of such animal shall also be stated on the label of that food:  Provided that it shall not be necessary to indicate the name of the animal from which the ingredient or food additive is derived if it can be inferred from the appropriate designation of such ingredient or food additive. 

Statements for emphasized ingredients

A statement of the percentage of an ingredient by weight or volume as a percentage adjacent to each appropriate ingredient at the time of manufacture for food sold as a mixture or combination where the ingredient is emphasized on the label through words, pictures, or graphics; or is not within the name of the food, but is essential to characterize the food.

This statement is not required:

1. if the quantity of the ingredient is required to be stated by these Regulations;
2. if the drained weight of the ingredient is required to be stated by these Regulations; or
3. if the ingredient is used in small quantities as flavor.

In the case of food that has lost moisture following any treatment:

1. The percentage by weight or volume shall correspond to the quantity of the ingredient used in the finished product; or
2. The percentage by weight or volume may be replaced by a statement of the weight of the ingredient used to prepare 100 g or 100 ml of the finished product where the quantity of an ingredient or the total quantity of all ingredients expressed on the labeling exceeds a hundred percent.

Statement of the strength of ingredient: where the standards of strength, weight, or quantity, as the case may be, of any ingredient or component part of any food are mentioned on the label unless otherwise provided in these Regulations, "percent" shall mean percent by weight, "parts per million" shall mean parts per million by weight, and "parts per billion" shall mean part per billion by weight.

Food additives labeling

1. Where the food contains food additives:
   1. with the International Numbering System (INS) for food additive number, a statement of the functional class of the relevant food additive followed by the name of the food additive or INS number in brackets; or
   2. without the International Numbering System (INS) for food additive numbers, only a statement of the functional class and the name of the food additive;
2. Where the food contains food additive with more than one functional class, a statement of one functional class only;
3. Where the food additive is a flavoring substance, only the functional class shall be stated.

Net Content/Net weight

A statement of the minimum net weight or volume or number of the content of the package.

In the case of food packed in liquid, a statement of the minimum drained weight of the food shall be labeled.

Product origin & importer

In the case of food locally manufactured or packaged in this country, the name and business address of the manufacturer or packer, or the owner of the right to manufacture or pack or the agent of any of them; and in the case of imported food, the name and business address of the manufacturer or packer or owner of the right to manufacture, or agent of any of them, and the name and business address of the importer in Malaysia and the name of the country origin of the food shall be labeled.  

A telegraphic or code or address at the Post Office; or the name of the company or the trade name of the manufacturer, packer, importer or seller appearing on any disc or cap or other device used for sealing any package of food, shall not be sufficient. 

“Country of origin of the food” means the country in which the manufactured food last underwent a treatment or process resulting in a substantial change in its nature.

Allergen labelling

Where the food contains ingredients known to cause hypersensitivity, the ingredients shall be declared on the label.

Certain foods or ingredients that are known to cause hypersensitivity are as follows:

1. cereal containing gluten including wheat, rye, barley, and oats;
2. nut and nut product including peanut and soybean;
3. fish and fish product;
4. milk and milk product (including lactose); and
5. egg and egg product.

GMO declaration

Food and food ingredients obtained through modern biotechnology shall be labeled as follows: 

1. in the case of food and food ingredients are composed of or contains genetically modified organisms, the words “genetically modified (name of the ingredient)” shall appear on the label; 
2. in the case of food and food ingredients are produced from, but does not contain genetically modified organisms, the words “produced from genetically modified (name of the ingredient)” shall appear on the label; 
3. for the purpose of paragraphs (a) and (b), in the case of single ingredient foods, the information shall appear on the principal display panel in close proximity with the name of the food and shall be in not less than 10 point lettering; 
4. for the purpose of paragraphs (a) and (b), in the case multi–ingredient foods, the information shall appear in the list of ingredients immediately following the ingredients; and 
5. for the purpose of paragraph (d), the statement “contains genetically modified ingredient” shall be stated on the principal display panel in close proximity with the name of the food and shall be in not less than 10 point lettering.

Date marking

Date marking signifying the expiry date or date of minimum durability: The date marking shall be in capital bold-faced lettering of a non-serif character not smaller than 6 points.

The expiry date in respect of any food shall be shown in one of the following forms: 

• "EXPIRY DATE or EXP DATE (here insert the date, expressed in day, month and year or in month or year)"; 
• "USE BY (here insert the date, expressed in day, month and year or in month or year)"; or 
• "CONSUME BY or CONS BY (here insert the date, expressed in day, month, and year or in month or year)".

The date of minimum durability in respect of any food shall be shown in the following form: "BEST BEFORE or BEST BEF (here insert the date, expressed in day, month, and year or in month or year)". Provided that where only a month of a particular year is stated, it shall be presumed that the expiry date or date of minimum durability, as the case may be, shall be by the end of that month.

Where the validity of the date marking of a food to which this regulation applies is dependent on its storage, the storage direction of that food shall also be required to be borne on its label.

The foods specified in the Fifth Schedule require date marking.

Others

Any other particulars required by these Regulations to be provided in the case of a particular food. [1,2]

5.2 Languages

Except as otherwise provided in these Regulations, any word, statement, information, or direction that is required by these Regulations to appear on the label of any package of food shall:

(a) in the case of food produced, prepared or packaged in Malaysia, be in Bahasa Malaysia; or

(b) in the case of imported food, be in Bahasa Malaysia or English,

and in either case may include translation thereof in any other language.

5.3 Mandatory Information on Stickers

Regulation 12 (5) Malaysia Food Regulations states "Every label required by these Regulations to be borne on a package shall be legibly and durably marked either on the material of the package or on material firmly or permanently attached to the package". Thus, the sticker label is acceptable provided that it complies with the requirement of Regulation 12 (5). [3]

5.4 Product Legal Name

N/A

5.5 Product-specific Labelling Statements

Refer to Section 5.5 of "5.0 Product Legal Name" of specific product Guidebooks for product-specific requirements.

5.6 Authority Approval of Product Label

There is no mandatory product label approval process except for specific product categories such as infant formula. Refer to specific product guidebooks for product-specific information.

5.7 Additional Notes on Labeling

Form and manner of labeling

• Mandatory labeling particulars shall appear conspicuously and prominently on the label.
• Product designation (product name) to appear on a label shall be so prominent in height, visual emphasis, and position as to be conspicuous by comparison with any other matter appearing on the label. This requirement shall not apply to a trademark.
• Mandatory particulars that are required by these Regulations to appear on a label shall be written in no smaller than 10-point lettering and with equal prominence with any other matter appearing on or attached to the package.
• Notwithstanding the requirement on minimum font size quoted above, the statement related to ingredients list, edible fat or edible oil, food additives, product origin & importer, and nutrition labeling. may be written in no smaller than 4-point lettering unless otherwise provided in these Regulations.
• Every label required by these Regulations to be borne on a package shall be legibly and durably marked either on the material of the package or on the material firmly or permanently attached to the package. Yet, a label may be firmly placed inside a package if:
  • The package is made of clear transparent material; and  
  • The food contained in the package 
    • is not ready for direct consumption; or
    • in the case of food ready for direct consumption, is completely enclosed in its natural shell or pod or interior wrapper such that it has no direct contact or is not likely to come into contact with the label. 
      
• No label shall appear on the extra wrapper of any food.

Size and color of letters

• Where the size of letters to be used in labels is prescribed in these Regulations by reference to a minimum number of points, the reference shall be deemed to be a reference to the height of the lowercase letter of the typeface or if the wording is all in capital letters, the height of the capital letters in typeface irrespective of the height of type body.
• Except as otherwise provided in these Regulations and for internationally accepted unit symbols of weight and measures, the lettering of every word or statement required by these Regulations to appear on labels shall be:
  • All capital letters; or
  • All lowercase letters; or 
  • Lowercase letters with an initial capital letter.
• In every case to which "all capital letters", or "all lower case letters" applies, the height of the lettering shall be uniform in every word or statement that is separately required.
• In every case to which "lower case letters with an initial capital letter" apply, the height of the lower case lettering shall be uniform in every word or statement that is separately required.
• Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, where words are required by these Regulations to appear on labels in letters of a specified size and the package to be labeled is so small as to prevent the use of letters of that size, letters of smaller size may be used if they are of the largest size practicable in the circumstances and are in any event no smaller than 2 points.
• The requirement in these Regulations as to the height of letters shall be sufficiently complied with if the letters used are of a greater height than the height prescribed.
• All lettering shall appear in a color that contrasts strongly with its background.

5.8 References

1. Regulation 9, 11, 14, 15 and Fifth Schedule Malaysia Food Regulations
http://fsq.moh.gov.my/v6/xs/page.php?id=72 

2. Food (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020

http://extwprlegs1.fao.org/docs/pdf/mal196913.pdf 

3. Regulation 12(5) Malaysia Food Regulations
http://fsq.moh.gov.my/v6/xs/page.php?id=72