Comparison of Nutrition Labeling Requirements for General Foods in Mainland China and Hong Kong (Part I)

FoodMate News: In recent years, food trade between Mainland China and Hong Kong has become increasingly frequent, and the regulatory differences in prepackaged food labeling between the two places have drawn close attention from import and export enterprises. According to the sampling inspection data of the Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong from January to July 2026, the number of samples tested for nutrition labeling was 230, of which 24 were unqualified, with a failure rate of 10%, and unqualified nutrition composition tables are one of the main reasons. The Mainland’s National Food Safety Standard General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718) and Hong Kong’s Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) both impose mandatory requirements on the nutrition composition table labeling of prepackaged foods, but there are certain differences in specific labeling items and format requirements. To this end, FoodMate has compiled and summarized a comparison of the nutrition composition table labeling requirements for general foods in the Mainland and Hong Kong, providing a reference for enterprises engaged in food trade between the two places.

I. Mandatory Content of the Nutrition Composition Table

Both the Mainland and Hong Kong have clear requirements for the mandatory labeling items of the food nutrition composition table, and the differences involved are detailed in the table below:

Comparison item

Mainland (GB 28050-2025)

Hong Kong (Cap. 132W)

List of mandatorily labeled nutrients 1+6: energy, protein, fat, saturated fat (or saturated fatty acids), carbohydrates, sugar, sodium 1+7: energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, available carbohydrates, sugar, sodium

Special requirements

1. When hydrogenated and/or partially hydrogenated oils and fats are contained, the content of trans fatty acids shall be labeled
2. Nutritional fortifiers shall be labeled
3. Nutrients involved in nutrition claims or nutrient function claims shall be labeled 4. “Children and adolescents should avoid excessive intake of salt, oil and sugar” shall be labeled below the nutrition composition table
4. If a nutrition claim involves any fat, the cholesterol content must be labeled at the same time 2. If total carbohydrates are labeled, dietary fiber shall also be labeled 2. Nutrients involved in nutrition claims or nutrient function claims shall be labeled

Regarding carbohydrates, where the Mainland label does not label dietary fiber, the carbohydrate obtained by subtraction refers to “total carbohydrates”; if dietary fiber is labeled, dietary fiber should be subtracted from the labeled carbohydrate value, i.e., “available carbohydrates”; while in Hong Kong, carbohydrates refer to “available carbohydrates”, and if total carbohydrates are labeled, dietary fiber should be labeled at the same time.

II. Labeling Unit Requirements

The differences in unit labeling requirements for the nutrition composition table between the Mainland and Hong Kong are detailed in the table below:

Comparison item

Mainland (GB 28050-2025)

Hong Kong (Cap. 132W)

Labeling basis

The energy and nutrient contents shall be labeled with specific values per 100 grams (g) and/or per 100 milliliters (mL) and/or per serving of edible portion; when labeling per serving, the mass or volume of each serving of food shall be indicated on the same panel.

The energy and nutrient contents shall be labeled with values per 100 grams or 100 milliliters or per serving; if the package contains only one serving, the value per package may be labeled.

Energy unit Kilojoule (kJ) Kilojoule (kJ) or kilocalorie (kcal)

Nutrient unit Gram (g), milligram (mg) or microgram (μg) Gram (g), milligram (mg) or microgram (μg)

It is worth noting that energy on Mainland labels can only be labeled in kilojoules (kJ), while Hong Kong allows labeling in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcal).

III. Label Format

Both the Mainland and Hong Kong have requirements for the format of the nutrition composition table, and the differences involved are detailed in the table below:

Comparison item

Mainland (GB 28050-2025)

Hong Kong (Cap. 132W)

Table form Boxed table. If the maximum surface area of the package or packaging container is ≤40cm2, a non-tabular text format is allowed, and the labeling of nutrient reference value % may be omitted. Boxed table. If the total surface area of the package is less than 200cm2, a linear format may be used.

Header name Nutrition composition table “Nutrition Information”, “Nutrition Composition” or similar expressions

Nutrient reference value % Mandatory Not mandatory

Nutrient labeling requirements

1. The labeling order shall be: energy, protein, fat, saturated fat (or saturated fatty acids), carbohydrates, sugar, sodium 2. When other ingredients are labeled, appropriate forms shall be adopted to make the labeling of energy and core nutrients more prominent

There is no mandatory requirement; for the labeling order, it is recommended to refer to the Technical Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claims: energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium

Language Chinese Consistent with the language of the label; Chinese (simplified or traditional characters), English, or both Chinese and English may be used.

The following are examples of nutrition composition tables labeled with mandatory information only for the Mainland and Hong Kong respectively:

Nutrition Composition Table

Item Per 100 grams (g) or 100 milliliters (mL) or per serving Nutrient reference value % or NRV%

Energy Kilojoule or kJ

Protein Gram or g

Fat Gram or g

——Saturated fat Gram or g

Carbohydrates Gram or g

——Sugar Gram or g

Sodium Milligram or mg

Children and adolescents should avoid excessive intake of salt, oil and sugar.

Nutrition Label Nutrition Information

Per 100 grams or Per 100 milliliters/ Per 100g or Per 100mL

Energy/Energy kilocalorie or kilojoule/ kcal or kJ

Protein/Protein gram/ ɡ

Total Fat/Total Fat gram/ ɡ

——Saturated Fat/Saturated Fat gram/ ɡ

——Trans Fat/Trans Fat gram/ ɡ

Carbohydrates/Carbohydrates gram/ ɡ

——Sugars/Sugars gram/ ɡ

Sodium/Sodium milligram/ mɡ

IV. “0” Threshold Values

The relevant regulations of the Mainland and Hong Kong stipulate that when the content of a certain nutrient is below a certain value, it may be labeled as zero. The Mainland’s “0” threshold value requirements for energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat, trans fat, sodium, sugar and cholesterol are the same as those of Hong Kong, while the requirements for saturated fat and dietary fiber are different, as detailed in the table below:

“0” threshold value (per 100g or per 100mL)

Mainland (GB 28050-2025)

Hong Kong (Cap. 132W)

Saturated fat (or saturated fatty acids) ≤0.1 grams (g) ≤0.5 grams (g)

Dietary fiber ≤0.5 grams (g) ≤1.0 grams (g)

V. Permitted Tolerance Range

Both the Mainland and Hong Kong have clear requirements for the permitted tolerance range of labeled values of energy and nutrients. The Mainland and Hong Kong have consistent requirements for the permitted tolerance ranges of labeled values of energy, protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugar, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, cholesterol and sodium. In Hong Kong, the permitted tolerance range of labeled values for vitamins and minerals varies depending on the source form, and the permitted tolerance range requirements for other fortified nutrients are also different. The differences involved are detailed in the table below:

Permitted tolerance range

Mainland (GB 28050-2025)

Hong Kong (Cap. 132W)

Vitamins and minerals (except vitamin A, vitamin D and added vitamins and minerals)

≥80% of labeled value

≥80% of labeled value

Vitamin A, vitamin D (including added)

80% - 180% of labeled value

Added vitamins and minerals (except vitamin A and vitamin D)

≥ labeled value

Other fortified nutrients

≥ labeled value

Conclusion

The Mainland and Hong Kong have significant differences in the labeling requirements, format specifications and numerical permitted tolerance ranges of the nutrition composition table. For food trade enterprises, accurately mastering the differences in nutrition composition table labeling between the two places and ensuring that nutrition labels comply with the regulations of the target market are the core points of overall label compliance. FoodMate can provide food label review services for the Mainland and Hong Kong for enterprises, helping products be exported smoothly. Subsequently, FoodMate will also sort out and update the compliance differences related to nutrition claims between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and everyone is welcome to continue following.

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