Ingredient list — Food Safety Glossary

The statement of ingredients required on most packaged food, listed in descending order of ingoing weight under the Food Standards Code.

Frequently asked questions

What order do ingredients have to be listed in?

Ingredients are listed in descending order of their ingoing weight, so the ingredient used in the largest amount appears first and the smallest amount appears last.

Do additives appear in the ingredient list?

Yes. Food additives are declared in the ingredient list by their class name together with either their specific name or an approved code number.

What are compound ingredients?

A compound ingredient is an ingredient that is itself made from several components, such as a sauce or stock, and its sub-ingredients usually need to be declared in the list as well.

Does every packaged food need an ingredient list?

Most packaged foods do, but a limited range, such as single-ingredient foods and some very small packages, are exempt under the Food Standards Code.

How does the ingredient list relate to allergens?

Allergens present in the food must be declared, and the ingredient list is a key place where they appear, supported by a separate summary allergen statement.

Food labelling Allergen Declared allergens Food additive Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) Food safety glossary Food safety guides
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