Complete Guide to Export Labels for Frozen Sesame Balls

　　In international food trade， product labeling is not only a window for consumers but a mandatory passport to enter global markets. The label on a seemingly simple pack of frozen sesame balls must precisely comply with the regulations of the target country. Any missing， incorrect， or improperly formatted information can lead to detention， rejection， or even destruction of entire shipments， resulting in significant financial loss.

　　This guide outlines the core labeling requirements for frozen sesame balls （categorized as prepackaged frozen desserts/pastries） in key export markets to facilitate smooth global trade.

　　Part 1： Universal Basic Principles （Apply Almost Everywhere）

　　Regardless of the destination， the following information is mandatory in most countries：

　　Product Name： Accurate and clear， e.g.， “Frozen Sesame Balls，” “Frozen Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls.”

　　Ingredient List： In descending order by weight. Compound ingredients must be declared.

　　Net Quantity： In metric units （g， kg）。

　　Manufacturer/Packer/Importer Details： Name and full address.

　　Country of Origin： e.g.， “Made in China” or “Product of China.”

　　Date Marking： Date of manufacture/batch code AND “use by”/“best before” date.

　　Storage Instructions & Usage： Clearly state “Keep Frozen” and recommended cooking method.

　　Allergen Information： Major allergens present （e.g.， sesame， wheat， nuts） must be prominently declared.

　　Part 2： Detailed Requirements for Key Markets

　　1. United States （FDA/USDA Regulations）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　Nutrition Facts Panel： Must use the updated format， including Added Sugars， Vitamin D， and Potassium. Serving size must align with RACC.

　　Allergen Statement： Major allergens must be declared using the word “Contains：” following or adjacent to the ingredient list. Note： Sesame is now a major allergen as of Jan 1， 2023， and must be declared.

　　Language： Must be in English.

　　Special Requirements：

　　Claims like “Vegan” or “Gluten-Free” must meet specific definitions.

　　Contact information for the U.S. importer or agent is required.

　　Format： Information must be prominent and legible.

　　2. European Union （EU FIC Regulation）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　Nutrition Declaration： Mandatory “Big 7” （energy， fat， saturates， carbs， sugars， protein， salt） per 100g/ml.

　　Allergen Emphasis： Within the ingredient list， allergens must be visually differentiated （e.g.， bold， underlined， contrasting background）。

　　Country of Origin： Mandatory.

　　Minimum Font Size： Mandatory information font height ≥ 1.2 mm （specific rules for net quantity）。

　　Special Requirements：

　　Date of Freezing： Required.

　　Language： Must be in an official language of the target member state （e.g.， German for Germany）。

　　E-Numbers： Additives must be declared with their E-number （e.g.， thickener E412）。

　　3. Japan （JAS Law / Food Labeling Act）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　All information must be in Japanese.

　　Nutrition Information： Currently voluntary， but if provided， must include energy， protein， fat， carbohydrates， and sodium （salt equivalent）。

　　Allergens： Divided into “Specified Raw Materials” （7 items， including sesame - mandatory） and “Other Specified Raw Materials” （21 items - recommended）。

　　Date Marking： use-by or best-before with clear date format （Year/Month/Day）。

　　Special Requirements：

　　Additives： Must use names approved in Japan.

　　Manufacturer Code： Code of the manufacturer or importer registered in Japan.

　　4. Australia / New Zealand （FSANZ Code）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　Nutrition Information Panel （NIP）： Mandatory “Big 7” plus saturated fat and sugars. Must use standard format.

　　Allergen Declaration： Allergens must be bolded in the ingredient list OR declared in a separate “Allergen Statement” summary.

　　Percentage Labeling： Key components （e.g.， “black sesame paste”） may require declaration of minimum percentage in the final product.

　　Special Requirements：

　　Contact details of the local importer in AU/NZ are required.

　　5. Canada （CFIA Regulations）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　Bilingual （English & French）： All mandatory information must be in both official languages.

　　Nutrition Facts Table： Format is similar but distinct from the US. Must use Canadian format.

　　Allergens： Declared using “Contains：” or “May contain：” near the ingredient list or Nutrition Facts.

　　Special Requirements：

　　Date markings require clear prefixes： “Best before”/“Meilleur avant”。

　　6. Middle East （e.g.， Saudi Arabia， UAE / GSO Standards）

　　Mandatory Labeling：

　　Bilingual Label： Arabic （prioritized or on top） and English typically required.

　　Halal Certification Mark： A Halal logo and certification number from an accredited body is crucial for market access.

　　Nutrition Information： Generally required.

　　Date Marking： Must be clear. Shelf life often required in both Hijri and Gregorian calendars.

　　Special Requirements：

　　Strict limits on additives （must comply with GSO list）。

　　Potential requirement for warnings like “Unsuitable for Diabetics” for high-sugar products.

　　Part 3： Special Ingredient Labeling Focus for Frozen Sesame Balls

　　Pay close attention to the accurate declaration of these specific components：

　　Key Allergens：

　　Sesame： Increasingly recognized globally as a priority allergen （now mandatory in the US）。 Must be clearly declared.

　　Gluten： From wheat flour. A “Gluten-Free” claim requires stringent controls （《20ppm）。

　　Nuts/Peanuts： If used in filling or at risk of cross-contact， a precautionary “may contain” statement may be necessary.

　　Filling Ingredients：

　　For claims like “Black Sesame Filling，” some markets （e.g.， AU/NZ） may require declaring the minimum percentage of sesame in the filling and final product.

　　Fat/oil source （e.g.， lard， vegetable oil） must be specified. Lard restricts access to Islamic and Jewish markets.

　　Additives：

　　Preservatives， antioxidants， emulsifiers， etc.， must be declared using names/numbers recognized by the target country （E-number， INS number， or local name）。

　　Part 4： Compliance Action Checklist

　　Identify Target Market（s）： Obtain the latest full-text food labeling regulations.

　　Compile Product Specifications： Accurate full formula， processing， and cross-contact risks.

　　Design Multi-Version Label Templates： Create country-specific layouts ensuring compliant font， format， language， and placement.

　　Conduct Professional Review： Before mass printing， have labels reviewed for compliance by a legal expert or consultant in the target market.

　　Manage Versions & Batches： Implement strict version control to ensure 100% label accuracy per shipment.

　　Monitor Regulatory Updates： Subscribe to updates from major export markets‘ authorities. Regulations change frequently.

　　Compliance with export food labeling is a precise and critical technical task. For traditional products like frozen sesame balls， successfully marrying artisanal craftsmanship with international rules is key to securing a stable position in the global marketplace. A compliant label is the first professional calling card for an internationalized product and a silent declaration of a company’s responsibility and capability.