Nutrition Information Panel (NIP), Food Safety Glossary
The standardised table of nutrient values required on most packaged food under the Food Standards Code.
The standardised table of nutrient values required on most packaged food under the Food Standards Code. The Nutrition Information Panel, or NIP, is a standardised table that must appear on most packaged food sold in Australia. Its content and format are set by the Food Standards Code, and it presents the average amount of energy and key nutrients so consumers can compare products and manage their diet. The panel shows values both per serving and per 100 grams (or per 100 millilitres for liquids), which lets people compare foods on a like-for-like basis. As a minimum the panel must declare energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and sodium, along with the serving size and the number of servings per package. Additional nutrients must be listed if a nutrition content or health claim is made about them, for example dietary fibre or calcium. A limited range of foods, such as very small packages, herbs, spices and some foods sold unpackaged, are exempt from carrying a NIP. A manufacturer preparing to sell a packaged food needs to determine the nutrient values for the product, either through laboratory analysis or from reliable calculation using ingredient data, then lay them out in the prescribed panel format. The values must be truthful and representative of the food as sold, and rounding rules in the Code determine how figures are expressed. Businesses commonly use nutrition calculation software or a laboratory to generate the panel, then check the layout against the Food Standards Code and FSANZ guidance, including the required column headings, units and order of nutrients. If a claim such as high in fibre or reduced fat is made, extra rows and conditions apply, so the panel and the claim need to be checked together. A business bottling a fruit smoothie has the product analysed, then builds a nutrition information panel showing energy in kilojoules, protein, total and saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and sodium per serving and per 100 millilitres, adds a dietary fibre row because the label claims a good source of fibre, and confirms the rounding and layout against the FSANZ user guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is a nutrition information panel required on all packaged food?
It is required on most packaged food, but a limited range such as very small packages, herbs and spices, and some unpackaged foods are exempt under the Food Standards Code.
What must the panel show as a minimum?
Energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars and sodium, along with the serving size and number of servings per package, expressed per serving and per 100 g or 100 mL.
Why are values shown per 100 g as well as per serving?
The per 100 g or 100 mL column lets consumers compare different products on the same basis, regardless of the serving size chosen by the manufacturer.
Do I need a laboratory to work out the values?
Not always. Values can come from laboratory analysis or from reliable calculation using ingredient data, provided they are accurate and representative of the food as sold.
When do extra nutrients have to be listed?
If you make a nutrition content or health claim about a nutrient, such as fibre or calcium, that nutrient must also be declared in the panel and the relevant conditions met.
