On December 24, 2024, the 3rd Discussion on the Japan’s of Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) 2024 (in Japanese) was held.

Based on a survey of current nutrition labelling practices for processed foods (in Japanese), the discussion meeting addressed the following points.
– Handling of foods where nutrient values cause deviations between “as sold” and “as consumed” states in labelling (in Japanese)
– Drafts for the format of the FOPNL (in Japanese) were presented.

Handling of foods where nutrient values change between “as sold” and “as consumed” states in labelling

During the meeting, after categorizing foods with varying nutritional values “as sold” and “as consumed”, the meeting members discussed whether labels should indicate values reflecting the “as sold” or the “as consumed” state.
Here is a brief summary (For more details, please see here (in Japanese)):

Food Group	Examples	Points to consider
Foods extracted with water	Tea leaves, Coffee beans	Foods with simple preparation methods – Either “as sold” or “as consumed” state can be selected. – If labelling “as consumed”, (1) indicate the food unit that clarifies the post-preparation state, and (2) indicate the preparation method to ensure the type and amount of ingredients used are clear.
Foods diluted with water	Concentrated beverages
Foods desalted with water	Salted wakame seaweed, Salted jellyfish
Foods to be drained from hot water	Cup yakisoba (fried noodles), Fresh noodles
Foods generally consumed with milk	Cocoa, Cereals
Foods prepared using only oil	Agricultural, livestock, and aquatic products that are battered and deep-fried, Frozen pilaf
Mix powder with a name that clearly indicates its use	Hotcake mix, Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake) flour	Foods with various preparation methods Label nutritional values “as sold.”
Seasonings indicating preparation methods	Prepared by adding another food Pasta sauce, Pre-packaged ingredients for Japanese seasoned rice, Blended seasonings Prepared by adding other multiple foods Curry roux, Blended seasonings

*The items in red text have been newly added based on the results of the survey on current labelling practices.

Important: Regarding possible format of the FOPNL for Japan!

Five prototype design options (in Japanese) have been proposed based on requirements (draft) for formats for FOPNL (in Japanese). Additionally, Proposals to change the design for specific nutrients have also been presented to determine whether such changes are needed. (a draft design with reversed color for a specific nutrient from the prototype (Figure 1) and a draft design with combinations of the prototypes, with added or removed borders (Figure 2))

However, some members suggested using a design that alters the original forms instead of black-and-white inversions to ensure that neither is overly emphasized since all nutrients are relevant to health and nutrition policies and no single component is considered superior or inferior from a health and nutrition perspective.

Subsequent moves

The 4th discussion meeting (in Japanese) was then held on January 31, 2025, where the draft guidelines were presented. We recommend that you keep an eye on future moves in food labelling, including the upcoming amendment of the standard values for nutritional labelling (in Japanese). We will keep you informed on the FOPNL system progress in the near future!

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