Global Food Packaging Marks & Standards Guide

What it guarantees: Prohibits animal meat, poultry, fish, seafood, gelatin, or egg. Permitted to contain dairy products (milk, ghee, paneer, butter) and honey.

Why Brown instead of Red? FSSAI updated the non-veg indicator from Red to Brown in 2021 to ensure accessibility for color-blind individuals and avoid confusion with red danger/warning labels.

Consumer context: Introduced by FSSAI for clarity to help vegetarian consumers who consume eggs (eggetarians) distinguish egg products from meat-based non-veg foods.

Zero Animal Derivatives: Prohibits dairy, milk powder, whey, honey, eggs, carmine (E120), shellac (E904), bone-char sugar, animal rennet, and animal testing during processing.

Key nutrients added: Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12 in staples like rice and wheat flour; Vitamins A & D in packaged milk and edible cooking oils to combat public deficiencies.

Strict Certification: Complies with National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) or PGS-India. Grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or GMOs.

Look at the text beneath: The exact same yellow/green icon says either VEGETARIAN (may contain milk/eggs) or VEGAN (100% plant-based). If uncertified, packages have zero visual indication.

Nutrition, NOT Dietary: Green = Low, Amber = Medium, Red = High. A red square does not mean meat, and a green square does not mean vegetarian. It strictly measures nutrient thresholds per 100g.

Formula: Computes positive factors (fiber, protein, fruits/vegetables) against negative factors (sugar, saturated fats, sodium, calories). Popular in France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium.

Healthier Choice: Labels products within a category that have less sugar and salt, more wholegrain and fiber, and healthier fats. Again, this is NOT a vegetarian mark.

Rigorous Auditing: Guarantees no animal ingredients, zero animal testing, and strict allergen isolation to prevent cross-contamination from non-vegan lines.

Private Voluntary Certification: Run by the Vegan Awareness Foundation. Verifies no animal flesh, bone char, gelatin, or animal-derived processing aids were utilized.

The 9 Mandatory Allergens: Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Crustacean Shellfish, Wheat, Soy, and Sesame (added under the FASTER Act of 2021). Must be printed right under the ingredient list.

Key Slogans: EXCESO CALORÍAS (Excess Calories), EXCESO AZÚCARES (Excess Sugar), EXCESO SODIO (Excess Salt), EXCESO GRASAS SATURADAS (Saturated Fat), and CONTIENE CAFEÍNA / EDULCORANTES - EVITAR EN NIÑOS (Avoid in children).

Sugar & Saturated Fat: Grade A contains lowest sugar (<1g/100ml) with no sweeteners; Grade D contains >10g sugar per 100ml. Grade D drinks are strictly prohibited from advertising on mass media.

How stars are awarded: Rates overall nutritional profile comparing similar packaged goods. More stars indicate healthier choices with more fruits, nuts, fiber, and lower sodium/sugar.

Iconic Human Silhouette: Products displaying the leaping person logo are scientifically proven to aid digestion, blood sugar, or cholesterol management under strict Japanese clinical trials.

Strict Exclusions: Zero potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, radishes, beetroots, unlisted root starch, honey, mushrooms, fermented alcohol, or animal gelatins. FoodScan AI analyzes every additive for hidden root derivatives.

Critical Flags: Strictly prohibits pork, bacon, lard, non-halal animal gelatin, animal shortening, cochineal insect dye (E120), and intoxicating ethyl alcohol additives.

Sub-symbols: OU = Pareve (neither meat nor dairy); OU-D = Contains dairy equipment/milk; OU-M = Meat product. Crucial for vegans and lactose-intolerant eaters to spot hidden dairy in American foods.

Strict Threshold: Guarantees gluten content is rigorously tested below 20 parts per million (20 ppm). Flags wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, and cross-contamination.