Food Sugar, Sodium, Fat Content Red, Yellow, Green Labeling Planned for Launch in Second Half of Year
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration and National Health Agency have released a draft guideline for 'red, yellow, green' labeling of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content in food. This initiative aims to help consumers make healthier choices and is expected to be officially launched in the second half of this year. Although voluntary, misleading labeling could result in fines ranging from NT$40,000 to NT$4 million under the 'Food Safety and Health Management Act.' The criteria for the red, yellow, and green classifications were developed over six months through expert meetings, considering WHO recommendations and Taiwanese dietary habits.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 17:57
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The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that unhealthy diets are one of the important risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the National Nutrition Survey, about 63% of adults aged 18 and above exceed the recommended sodium intake, and 17.3% have free sugar intake accounting for more than 10% of total calories.
To help consumers more intuitively understand nutritional information and make healthy choices, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Health Agency (NHA) collected domestic and international evidence and policy experience, and referred to the results of market-sold packaged food nutrition labeling surveys. Today, they announced the draft guideline for 'red, yellow, green' nutrition information labeling.
Hsu Chao-kai, section chief of the FDA, explained in a media interview today that this guideline provides for voluntary labeling by businesses, allowing the public to easily understand when purchasing food. Coupled with the rising health awareness among the public, it is hoped that through market mechanisms and policy guidance, businesses will be more willing to design foods that meet the green label standards. After the draft is announced today, it is expected to be officially launched in the second half of this year.
Although it is a voluntary label, it cannot be arbitrarily marked. Hsu Chao-kai said that if food has red, yellow, and green labels but does not comply with the announced guidelines, it may violate Article 28 of the "Food Safety and Health Management Act" for misleading labeling, and may be fined NT$40,000 to NT$4 million according to law.
Regarding the 'red, yellow, green' standards for sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content, Qin Yi-hua, section chief of the NHA's Community Health Division, explained that it took more than half a year and at least four expert meetings, referring to the dietary habits of Taiwanese people and the WHO's recommended intake of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content, to complete the draft.
As for external concerns about insufficient incentives, which might lead to red and green labels being ignored by businesses and the public, Qin Yi-hua said that there is currently no discussion about whether 'health coins' could be used to exchange for green-light foods. She believes that the public already has health and dietary literacy and hopes to more accurately identify healthy products, and businesses will be willing to participate.
The FDA stated that the currently drafted guideline for front-of-pack nutrition information labeling will use 100 grams (for solids) or 100 milliliters (for liquids) as the labeling standard, and will classify sugar, sodium, and saturated fat into three levels.
The principles are: First, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat is below the following ranges, it can be labeled green: (1) Solid food (per 100 grams): sugar 5 grams, sodium 120 mg, saturated fat 1.5 grams. (2) Liquid food (per 100 milliliters): sugar 2.5 grams, sodium 120 mg, saturated fat 0.75 grams.
Second, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat exceeds the following ranges, it is labeled red: (1) Solid food (per 100 grams): sugar 15 grams, sodium 500 mg, saturated fat 4.5 grams. (2) Liquid food (per 100 milliliters): sugar 7.5 grams, sodium 250 mg, saturated fat 2.25 grams.
Third, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat is between the two ranges, it is labeled yellow. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150410
To help consumers more intuitively understand nutritional information and make healthy choices, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Health Agency (NHA) collected domestic and international evidence and policy experience, and referred to the results of market-sold packaged food nutrition labeling surveys. Today, they announced the draft guideline for 'red, yellow, green' nutrition information labeling.
Hsu Chao-kai, section chief of the FDA, explained in a media interview today that this guideline provides for voluntary labeling by businesses, allowing the public to easily understand when purchasing food. Coupled with the rising health awareness among the public, it is hoped that through market mechanisms and policy guidance, businesses will be more willing to design foods that meet the green label standards. After the draft is announced today, it is expected to be officially launched in the second half of this year.
Although it is a voluntary label, it cannot be arbitrarily marked. Hsu Chao-kai said that if food has red, yellow, and green labels but does not comply with the announced guidelines, it may violate Article 28 of the "Food Safety and Health Management Act" for misleading labeling, and may be fined NT$40,000 to NT$4 million according to law.
Regarding the 'red, yellow, green' standards for sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content, Qin Yi-hua, section chief of the NHA's Community Health Division, explained that it took more than half a year and at least four expert meetings, referring to the dietary habits of Taiwanese people and the WHO's recommended intake of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content, to complete the draft.
As for external concerns about insufficient incentives, which might lead to red and green labels being ignored by businesses and the public, Qin Yi-hua said that there is currently no discussion about whether 'health coins' could be used to exchange for green-light foods. She believes that the public already has health and dietary literacy and hopes to more accurately identify healthy products, and businesses will be willing to participate.
The FDA stated that the currently drafted guideline for front-of-pack nutrition information labeling will use 100 grams (for solids) or 100 milliliters (for liquids) as the labeling standard, and will classify sugar, sodium, and saturated fat into three levels.
The principles are: First, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat is below the following ranges, it can be labeled green: (1) Solid food (per 100 grams): sugar 5 grams, sodium 120 mg, saturated fat 1.5 grams. (2) Liquid food (per 100 milliliters): sugar 2.5 grams, sodium 120 mg, saturated fat 0.75 grams.
Second, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat exceeds the following ranges, it is labeled red: (1) Solid food (per 100 grams): sugar 15 grams, sodium 500 mg, saturated fat 4.5 grams. (2) Liquid food (per 100 milliliters): sugar 7.5 grams, sodium 250 mg, saturated fat 2.25 grams.
Third, when the content of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat is between the two ranges, it is labeled yellow. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150410