1. Current Status of Nutrition and
Health Claim in Malaysia
Norrani Eksan
Food Safety and Quality Division
Ministry of Health Malaysia
ILSI Seminar, Kuala Lumpur
20 Sept 2010

2. Status of Nutrition labelling….
• Malaysia- mandatory nutrition labelling
for wide variety of foods
• Law gazzeted in 2003 and enforced in
2005
• More than 50 categories of commonly
consumed foods

3. Nutrition labelling only mandatory for
certain food group.
but……….
When a food makes a nutrition
claim, it is mandatory to include a
nutrition labeling and the amount of
any other nutrient for which a
nutrition claim is made in respect of
the food.

4. Nutrition Labelling and
Claims in Malaysia
2 parts:
• Declaration of energy value,
carbohydrate, protein and fat
• Specific provisions for claims such as
nutrient content claim, nutrient function
claim and nutrient comparative claim

5. Labelling of Mandatory
Nutrients
• Must declare –
– Energy
– Protein
– Carbohydrate
– Fat
– (Total sugars – only for ready to drink
beverages)

6. Labelling of Optional
Nutrients
• Vitamins and minerals( if meet criteria)
• Dietary fibre
• Sodium
• Cholesterol
• Fatty acids

7. Declaration for vitamin and mineral
• Criteria
• - Only those listed in NRV or
• - With written approval from
• the director, and
• - Present in not less than 5%
• NRV perserving

8. Nutrition Claims
• Nutrient content claim
• Nutrient comparative claim
• Nutrient function claim
• Claim for enrichment, fortification or
other words of similar meaning

9. Health claim
(disease risk reduction claim)
Prohibited in Malaysia

10. Function claim VS Health Claim
• FUNCTION CLAIM • HEALTH CLAIM
• Describe the specific • Suggest or implies a
role of the nutrient in relationship between a
relation to physiological food and health
functions condition
• Ex: Iron is a factor in • Health claim such as
red blood cell disease risk reduction
formation. claims are not
• Calcium aids in the dev permitted
of strong bones and • Ex: Iron can help
teeth reduce the risk of
anemia

11. Nutrient function claim

13. Latest amendments
• Gazetted on 19 Nov 2009 ( P.U. (A) 403
• Reg 26- “Nutrient supplement”
substituted by “added nutrient”
• “Added nutrient” includes any mineral,
vitamin, amino acid, fatty acid,
nucleotide or other food components
which, when added singly or in
combination to food, improves the
nutritional value of the food.

14. Amendment of Twelfth
Schedule
• Permitted Nutrient Supplement
Added nutrient:
• Vitamin and mineral
• Amino acids
• Fatty acids
• Nucleotides
• Other food components

15. Other Food Components
• Inulin
• Oligofructose/ Fructooligosaccharide
• Sialic acid (from milk)
• Plant sterol or plant stanol or phytosterols or
phystanols comprising mainly of sitosterol,
campesterol, stigmasterol and other related
plant stanol.

16. Amendments….
• Fifth A Sch:
“Component Claim Condition
Not more than
Sugar Low 5g per 100g(s)
2.5g per 100ml (l)
Free 0.5g per 100g(s)
0.5g per 100ml(l)

17. Amendment…
• Fifth A schedule
Component Claim Condition
Not more than
Sodium Low 0.12 g per 100g(s)
0.06 g per 100ml(l)
Very 0.04g per 100g (s)
low 0.02g per 100ml(l)
0.005g per 100g(s)
Free 0.005g per 100ml(l)

18. Exemption
• Small packages –total surface less than
100cm2
• Returnable glass bottle’s
• …..Provided no nutrition claim was
made.

19. Permitted Nutrition Function
Claims
• A total of fifty two(52) nutrition function claims
listed. (as of August 2010)
• All listed in the Guide to Nutrition Labelling and
Claim http://fsq.moh.gov.my
• Additional five (5) new claims ( 2008-2010)
• -Lutein
• -Isomaltulose
• -Resistant dextrin/Resistant maltodextrin
• -Oligofructose-inulin mixture
• -Plant sterol esters

20. Criteria for ‘nutritious’ claim
• Contains:
• A range of nutrients including carbohydrate,
fat, protein, vitamin and mineral
• A substantial amount of energy of more than
40kcal per 100g or 20 kcal per 100ml
• Source of protein not less than 5 g per 100g
or 2.5g per 100ml
• At least four vitamins and two mineral
(excluding sodium) of an amount that meets
the criteria for claim as source

21. Permitted Nutrition Function
Claims
• Lutein:
• As a predominant macular pigment in
the retina, Lutein is able to filter blue
light and may protect the eye

22. Condition
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Lutein 2.5 µg per This minimum level is specified for
100ml (3.7 infant formula only.
mg per
100kcal)
20 µg per This minimum level is specified for
100ml (30 follow up formula only.
mg per
100kcal)
20 µg per This minimum level is specified for
100ml (20 formulated milk powder for children
mg per only.
100kcal)

23. Permitted claims
• Isomaltulose:-
• Isomaltulose is slowly hydrolysed to glucose
and fructose, and therefore it provides longer
lasting energy compared to sucrose
• Isomaltulose is a slowly release source of
energy compared to sucrose
• Isomaltulose provides longer lasting energy
compared to sucrose
• Isomaltulose is slowly hydrolysed to glucose
and fructose, compared with sucrose
•

24. Condition
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Isomaltulose 15g/ Addition and claim for
serving Isomaltulose resistant
maltodextrin are not
permitted in infant formula

25. Permitted claims
• Resistant dextrin / Resistant
maltodextrin :
• Resistant dextrin / Resistant
maltodextrin is a soluble dietary fibre
that helps to regulate / promote regular
bowel movement especially of people
with a tendency to constipation.

26. Condition
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Resistant 2.5 g per Addition and claim for
dextrin / serving resistant dextrin / resistant
Resistant maltodextrin are not permitted
maltodextrin in infant formula

27. Permitted claims
• Oligofructose-inulin mixture containing
36-42% oligofructose (DP 2-10) and 50-
56 % inulin (DP >10) helps to increase
calcium absorption and increase bone
mineral density when taken with
calcium rich food
• Plant sterol esters helps lower or
reduce cholesterol*

28. Condition
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Oligofructose- 2 g per Total fructant content in the
inulin mixture serving mixture shall be more than 90%
containing 36- on dry weight basis”
42%
oligofructose
(DP 2-10) and
50-56 % inulin
(DP >10)

29. Conditions
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Plant sterol 0.65 g Types of plant sterol esters permitted:
esters per “campesterol ester, stigmasterol ester and beta-
serving sitosterol ester”;
Maximum amount in daily serving for product added
with plant sterol esters is not more than 3 g per day;
Declaration of the total amount of plant sterol esters
contained in the products shall be expressed in
metric units per 100 g or per 100 ml or per package
if the package contains only a single portion and
per serving as quantified on the label;
Only the terms “plant sterol esters” shall be used in
declaring the presence of such components;

30. Conditions
Component Minimum Other Condition
amount
required
Plant sterol There shall be written on the label of food making
esters such claim the following statements:
“Not recommended for pregnant and lactating
women, and children under the age of five years”;
“Persons on cholesterol-lowering medication shall
seek medical advice before consuming this
product”;
that the product is consumed as part of a balanced
and varied diet and shall include regular
consumption of fruits and vegetables to help
maintain the carotenoid level; and
“With added plant sterol esters” in not less than 10
point lettering”.

31. Procedure for approval of
Nutrition Claims
• Application from industry
• Review and recommendation by Expert
Committee on Nutrition
• Endorsed by Advisory Committee on
Food Regulations 1985
• Approval by Director (DDG)

32. Procedure for approval of Nutrition Claims
• Accompany by supporting document :
• Proposed claim and food
• -limit of probable daily intake of nutrient
• Chemical structure and formula of the nutrient
• Information on physiological role of the nutrient
• Level of “source: of nutrient per 100g or ml with scientific
justification of the proposed level.
• Evidence or benefit from 5 clinical trial (Studies should be
published in refered journal
• Epidemiological and experimental studies and reviewed paper
may be included as supportive evidence.
• Information regarding stability and bioavailability of the
nutrient in raw, processed and/or finished food
• Analytical method
• Data on safety evaluation derived both chronic and acute
studiesc
• Approval from other country)

33. National Survey 2008
• Involving 3240 respondents from 15
states
• To determine the knowledge, attitude
and practices regarding nutrition
labelling among Malaysian
consumers.

34. Knowledge on nutrition and
nutrition labelling

35. Nutrition labelling knowledge

36. Attitude towards nutrition
labelling

37. Consumer survey 2009
( Fatimah Sulong, Nik Ismail Nik Daud, Tee E Siong)
• Study conducted in Klang Valley, involving
232 female respondents , age 20-59 years
• To assess the level of understanding and
ability to extract information from nutrition
information panel (NIP)

38. Level of understanding on NIP
formats

40. Thank you for you attention
E-mail: norrani@moh.gov.my