Skip to content
Regulation

Codex CAC/GL 2-1985 (baseline): international markets nutrition label

Codex CAC/GL 2-1985 (baseline), the Codex nutrition label under Codex Alimentarius CXG 2-1985 (Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling), formerly CAC/GL 2-1985, 7 mandatory nutrients, per 100 g or 100 ml. Generate a compliant label free.

Reviewed against Codex Alimentarius CXG 2-1985 (Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling), formerly CAC/GL 2-1985 · Page updated August 16, 2026

Jurisdiction
International baseline; 55+ countries defer to Codex where no national rule exists
Regulation
Codex Alimentarius CXG 2-1985 (Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling), formerly CAC/GL 2-1985
Effective
Adopted 1985; revised 1993 and 2011; amended 2003 to 2024 (front-of-pack Annex adopted 2021). A guideline for governments, not binding law
Official source
www.fao.org
Generate a international markets labelBack to all formats

Nutrition labelling requirements in international markets

Packaged food sold in international markets must carry a nutrition declaration under Codex Alimentarius CXG 2-1985 (Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling), formerly CAC/GL 2-1985. This page covers the Codex CAC/GL 2-1985 (baseline) format: Fallback per-100g table for markets w/o strict national regime. A compliant Codex nutrition label declares 7 mandatory nutrients: energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, total sugars and sodium. Values are declared per 100 g or 100 ml, with energy in both kcal and kJ, and sodium rather than salt. The panel is headed "Nutrition Information". There is no mandatory front-of-pack warning scheme. NFL builds a print-ready Codex nutrition label from your recipe, applying the rounding rules and reference intakes for international markets automatically, and exports it as PDF, PNG, SVG, JPG or EPS.

Official regulation

Citation
Codex Alimentarius CXG 2-1985 (Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling), formerly CAC/GL 2-1985
Effective
Adopted 1985; revised 1993 and 2011; amended 2003 to 2024 (front-of-pack Annex adopted 2021). A guideline for governments, not binding law
Scope
International baseline; 55+ countries defer to Codex where no national rule exists
Source

Key facts

Core list (Section 3.2)
Energy (kJ and kcal), protein, available carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars
Column basis
Per-100g/100mL preferred; per-serving allowed
Claims trigger
Sodium + sugars mandatory when a nutrition claim is made

What CXG 2-1985 is, and how it reaches national law

CXG 2-1985 (older citation CAC/GL 2-1985) is a guideline of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the joint FAO/WHO food standards body founded in 1963. It "recommends procedures for the nutrition labelling of foods" and applies to all foods. The text was adopted in 1985, revised in 1993 and 2011, and amended in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2024. Annex 1 (Nutrient Reference Values) dates from 2011, last revised 2024; Annex 2 (front-of-pack labelling) was adopted in 2021.

It is not a law. Codex calls its texts "recommendations for voluntary application by members" that "serve in many cases as a basis for national legislation". A country is bound only once it copies the guideline into its own food regulation. The WTO SPS Agreement refers to Codex standards, so they also carry weight in trade disputes.

CXG 2-1985 sits on top of CXS 1-1985, the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods (last modified 2026). Section 4.1 of the guideline applies Sections 8.1.1 to 8.1.3 and 8.2 of CXS 1-1985 to nutrition labelling, whether mandatory or voluntary: labels that stay attached, statements that are "clear, prominent, indelible and readily legible", wrappers that do not obscure them, and the option of a supplementary label in the consumer's language instead of relabelling. CXS 1-1985 covers the food name, ingredients, net contents, address, origin, lot, date marking and instructions for use, not the nutrient panel.

Source: CXG 2-1985, cover page and Sections 1 and 4.1; About Codex (FAO/WHO); CXS 1-1985, Sections 4 and 8.

The seven-nutrient list in CXG 2-1985 Section 3.2, and what the 2011 revision changed

Section 3.1 sets the trigger. Nutrient declaration "should be mandatory" for all pre-packaged foods carrying a nutrition or health claim (3.1.1) and for "all other pre-packaged foods except where national circumstances would not support such declarations" (3.1.2). Foods may be exempted "on the basis of nutritional or dietary insignificance or small packaging".

In the 1993 edition (CAC/GL 2-1985, Rev. 1-1993), declaration was mandatory only where a nutrition claim was made and "voluntary for all other foods", and the core list was energy, protein, available carbohydrate and fat. The current text, revised in 2011, extends the trigger to all pre-packaged foods and makes seven items mandatory whenever a declaration is applied (Section 3.2.1):

  • energy value;
  • protein, available carbohydrate ("dietary carbohydrate excluding dietary fibre"), fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars;
  • any nutrient that is the subject of a nutrition or health claim;
  • any nutrient required by national legislation or national dietary guidelines.

Claims widen the list. A carbohydrate claim means total sugars must be listed and starch may be; a fibre claim requires dietary fibre (3.2.4). A fatty-acid or cholesterol claim requires saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol (3.2.5). Vitamins and minerals present below 5 percent of the NRV per 100 g, 100 ml or serving "should not be declared" (3.2.6), and a commodity standard's own nutrient rules take precedence (3.2.7).

Source: CXG 2-1985, Sections 3.1 and 3.2; CAC/GL 2-1985 (Rev. 1-1993), Sections 3.1 and 3.2.1.

Declaration basis, units and format under Sections 3.3, 3.4 and 4

The declaration "should be numerical" (3.4.1). Energy is "expressed in kJ and kcal per 100 g or per 100 ml or per package if the package contains only a single portion" (3.4.2); protein, carbohydrate and fat are in grams on the same basis (3.4.3); vitamins and minerals in metric units and/or as a percentage of the NRV (3.4.4). Per serving is conditional: Section 3.4.5 lets countries "where serving sizes are normally used" declare "per serving only as quantified on the label or per portion provided that the number of portions contained in the package is stated".

Two formats are fixed. Available carbohydrate is declared as "carbohydrates", with any sub-type immediately after it as "Carbohydrate ... g, of which sugars ... g" (3.4.6). Fatty acids and cholesterol follow total fat as "Total fat ... g, of which saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids", then "Cholesterol ... mg" (3.4.7).

Section 3.3 fixes the arithmetic: carbohydrate 4 kcal/g (17 kJ), protein 4 kcal/g (17 kJ), fat 9 kcal/g (37 kJ), alcohol 7 kcal/g (29 kJ), organic acid 3 kcal/g (13 kJ); protein is total Kjeldahl nitrogen x 6.25 unless a Codex standard sets another factor. Section 4.2 asks for a tabular layout (linear only where space is short), a minimum font size set by the competent authority, and "significant contrast" with the background.

Source: CXG 2-1985, Sections 3.3, 3.4 and 4.2.

Nutrient Reference Values in CXG 2-1985: NRVs-R and NRVs-NCD

Codex separates two families of reference values (Section 2). NRVs-R are "based on levels of nutrients associated with nutrient requirements"; NRVs-NCD are "based on levels of nutrients associated with the reduction in the risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases". Both exist "for purposes of nutrition labelling and relevant claims".

The values in Sections 3.4.4.1 and 3.4.4.3 are for "individuals older than 36 months"; a separate NRVs-R set for older infants and young children aged 6 to 36 months (3.4.4.2, Annex 1 Part B) was added in 2024. Illustrative NRVs-R: protein 50 g, vitamin C 100 mg, calcium 1 000 mg, vitamin A 800 µg RAE. The three NRVs-NCD are saturated fatty acids 20 g and sodium 2 000 mg, both levels not to exceed, and potassium 3 500 mg, a level to achieve.

Some values are left partly to governments: vitamin D (5 to 15 µg) depends on sunlight exposure, and iron (14 to 22 mg) and zinc (11 to 14 mg) on dietary absorption, so footnotes tell competent national or regional authorities to pick the figure that suits their population. Percentages of NRV are declared on the same basis as the nutrient, per 100 g, 100 ml, single-portion package or, where 3.4.5 applies, per serving. National tables often diverge from these figures, so use the target market's own values.

Source: CXG 2-1985, Sections 2, 3.4.4 and Annex 1.

Tolerances (Section 3.5) and the 2021 front-of-pack Annex

CXG 2-1985 sets no numeric tolerance. Section 3.5 says limits "should be set in relation to public health concerns, shelf-life, accuracy of analysis, processing variability and inherent liability and variability of the nutrient in the product", and according to whether the nutrient is added or naturally occurring. Declared values "should be weighted average values derived from data specifically obtained from analyses of products which are representative of the product being labelled".

Annex 2, adopted in 2021, defines front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) as "a form of supplementary nutrition information that presents simplified, nutrition information on the front-of-pack of pre-packaged food", using symbols, graphics, text or a combination. FOPNL "should only be provided in addition to, and not in place of, the nutrient declaration" and "can be voluntary or mandatory in line with national legislation". Infant formula, follow-up formula and foods for special medical purposes are excluded.

The Annex does not choose a scheme. Its principles ask that only one FOPNL system be recommended by government in each country, consistent with the nutrient declaration on the same pack, aligned with evidence-based national dietary guidance, supported by consumer research, clearly visible at the point of purchase, useful for comparing foods, government led but developed with all interested parties, accompanied by consumer education, and monitored and evaluated. Build a Codex-basis label in the generator.

Source: CXG 2-1985, Section 3.5 and Annex 2.

How NFL handles it

  • Applies the correct rounding rules for every nutrient
  • Uses the right Daily Value / Reference Intake table for this jurisdiction
  • Renders the required front-of-pack warnings automatically when thresholds are hit
  • Handles multilingual labels where required (bilingual EN/FR, EN/ES, Arabic + EN, etc.)
  • Exports print-ready vector PDF, PNG, SVG, JPG, and EPS

Common questions

Is Codex CXG 2-1985 legally binding for my food label?
No. CXG 2-1985 is a guideline adopted by the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, and Codex describes its texts as recommendations for voluntary application by member countries. It becomes enforceable only when a government writes it into national food law, so you comply with your target country's regulation, which may follow Codex closely or depart from it. Codex texts are also referenced in the WTO SPS Agreement, which is why so many national rules track them.
Which nutrients does CXG 2-1985 require on a nutrition label?
Where a nutrient declaration is applied, Section 3.2.1 makes seven items mandatory: energy value, protein, available carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars. Any nutrient that is the subject of a nutrition or health claim must be added, and national legislation or dietary guidelines can require more. The 1993 edition only required energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat; saturated fat, sodium and total sugars appear in the current text as revised in 2011.
Does Codex use per 100 g or per serving?
Per 100 g or per 100 ml is the default basis, or per package when the package holds a single portion. Section 3.4.5 allows countries where serving sizes are normally used to declare per serving as quantified on the label, or per portion if the number of portions in the package is stated. Check the national rule, because some Codex-following countries require both columns and others only one.
What are NRV-R and NRV-NCD in Codex nutrition labelling?
NRVs-R are nutrient reference values based on nutrient requirements, such as protein 50 g, vitamin C 100 mg and calcium 1 000 mg for people over 36 months. NRVs-NCD are values tied to reducing the risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases: saturated fatty acids 20 g and sodium 2 000 mg as levels not to exceed, and potassium 3 500 mg as a level to achieve. Both are used to express percentage of NRV on labels, and governments may adapt values such as vitamin D, iron and zinc to their population.
Does CXG 2-1985 require a front-of-pack label?
No. Annex 2, adopted in 2021, gives principles for front-of-pack nutrition labelling but leaves it to each country to decide whether a scheme is voluntary or mandatory and which format to use. It asks that only one system be recommended per country, that it sit alongside and never replace the nutrient declaration, and that it be government led, evidence based and monitored. The Annex excludes infant formula, follow-up formula and foods for special medical purposes.
What tolerance does Codex allow between the declared and analysed nutrient values?
CXG 2-1985 does not give a percentage tolerance. Section 3.5 says tolerance limits should reflect public health concerns, shelf-life, analytical accuracy, processing variability and whether the nutrient is added or naturally occurring, and that declared values should be weighted averages from analyses of representative products. The numeric limits you must meet come from the national regulation of the country where you sell.
Must energy be shown in both kJ and kcal under Codex?
Section 3.4.2 says energy value should be expressed in kJ and kcal per 100 g, per 100 ml or per single-portion package. National regulations that follow Codex vary: some accept kcal alone, others require both units, so check the local text before dropping one. Codex energy factors are 4 kcal/g for carbohydrate and protein, 9 kcal/g for fat, 7 kcal/g for alcohol and 3 kcal/g for organic acids.
How does CXG 2-1985 relate to CXS 1-1985?
CXS 1-1985 is the General Standard for the Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods and covers the name of the food, ingredient list, net contents, business name and address, country of origin, lot, date marking and instructions for use. CXG 2-1985 adds the nutrient panel on top of it and, in Section 4.1, borrows the general standard's legibility and language rules (Sections 8.1.1 to 8.1.3 and 8.2) for nutrition labelling. A Codex-based label therefore needs both texts.

How to generate one

  • Open the generator: free account, no credit card
  • Pick "Codex CAC/GL 2-1985 (baseline)" from the format rail
  • Enter your ingredients (search USDA FoodData Central or add a custom ingredient)
  • The label renders live; export in one click

Generate a compliant Codex nutrition label in minutes

Free forever. No card. 3 saved recipes on the free plan.
Open the generator