Gulf Technical Regulation GSO 9:2022
Labeling of prepackaged food stuffs
1 Scope
This GSO technical regulation applies to the labelling of all prepackaged foods to be offered as such to the consumer or for catering purposes and to certain aspects relating to the presentation thereof.
2 Complementary References
2.1
GSO 150‑1 “ Expiration dates for food products -Part 1 : Mandatory expiration dates ”.
2.2
GSO 150‑2 “ Expiration dates for food products - Part 2 :Voluntary expiration dates”.
2.3
GSO CAC/GL 1 “ General Guidelines on Claims”.
2.4
GSO 2233 “ Requirements of nutritional labeling”.
2.5
GSO 839 “ Food packages - Part 1: General requirements”.
2.6
GSO 1863 “ Food packages - Part 2: Plastic package – General requirements”.
2.7
GSO 2333 “ Requirements for Health and Nutrition Claims on Food Products”.
2.8
GSO OIML R 87 “ Quantities of Product in Prepackages”.
2.9
GSO 2373 “ Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives”.
2.10
GSO 2374 “ Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods”.
2.11
GSO 2142 “ General Requirements for Genetically Modified Processed Food and Feed”.
2.12
GSO 654 “ General requirements for prepackaged foods for special dietary use”.
2.13
GSO 1366 “ General Requirements For Handling Of Foods For Special Medical Purposes”.
2.14
GSO/CAC 107 “ Labelling of Food Additives when sold as such”.
2.15
GSO 2500 “ Additives Permitted for Use in Food Stuffs”.
2.16
GSO 2055‑1 “ HALAL FOOD - Part 1 : General Requirements”.
2.17
GSO 2604 “ Guideline on Putting Calories on Food Establishments Menu’s Selling Away-From-Home Foods”.
2.18
GSO 2406 “ Guidelines on Labeling of food products”.
3 Terms and definitions:
For the purposes of this standard the following terms and definitions are used:
3.1
Any representation which states, suggests or implies that a food has particular qualities relating to its origin, nutritional properties, nature, processing, composition or any other quality.
3.2
Persons and families purchasing and receiving food in order to meet their personal needs.
3.3
Any packaging of food for delivery as a single item, whether by completely or partially enclosing the food and includes wrappers. A container may enclose several units or types of packages when such is offered to the consumer.
3.4
Any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, and includes drinks, chewing gum and any substance which has been used in the manufacture, preparation or treatment of “food” but does not include cosmetics or tobacco or substances used only as drugs.
3.5
Any substance not normally consumed as a food by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient of the food, whether or not it has nutritive value, the intentional addition of which to food for a technological (including organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holding of such food results, or may be reasonably expected to result, (directly or indirectly) in it or its by-products becoming a component of or otherwise affecting the characteristics of such foods. The term does not include “contaminants” or substances added to food for maintaining or improving nutritional qualities.
3.6
Any substance, including a food additive, used in the manufacture or preparation of a food and present in the final product although possibly in a modified form.
3.7
Any sign, emblem, symbol, visual or descriptive statement, written or printed or drawn or stamped or engraved with prominent inscriptions, or mentioned on the packaging of the food product or attached to it.
3.8
Any written, printed or graphic matter that is present on the label, accompanies the food, or is displayed near the food, including that for the purpose of promoting its sale or disposal.
3.9
A definitive quantity of a commodity produced essentially under the same conditions.
3.10
Packaged or made up in advance in a container, ready for offer to the consumer, or for catering purposes.
3.11
A substance or material, not including apparatus or utensils, and not consumed as a food ingredient by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods or its ingredients, to fulfil a certain technological purpose during treatment or processing and which may result in the non-intentional but unavoidable presence of residues or derivatives in the final product.
3.12
Foods for Catering Purposes:
Those foods for use in restaurants, canteens, schools, hospitals and similar institutions where food is offered for immediate consumption.
3.13
All operations, processing, or manufacturing involved in the food chain that lead to intended results, and include the production of raw food items until final consumption. Drying, cooling, removing damaged parts, removing dust, sifting, arranging, sorting, washing, polishing, cutting, changing wrappers, unpacking and assembling, simple packing in bottles, vials, bags, boxes or boxes, affixing trademarks to products or their packaging, Simple mixing, animal slaughter, and other similar simple operations.