Ingredients list is the mandatory enumeration of all ingredients in a food product in descending order of weight at the time of use, required under EU food information law to enable informed purchasing and allergen management.
In trade practice
Suppliers prepare the ingredients list in line with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, ensuring additives and processing aids with a technological function are declared with their category name and specific name or E number. Compound ingredients must be broken down into their components unless they constitute less than the threshold share of the finished product. A frequent error is omitting sub-ingredients of compound components or failing to highlight allergens in a distinct typeset. QA teams cross-check the list against the recipe and the declaration of conformity from ingredient suppliers.
In a specification
A product specification includes the full ingredients list as it will appear on the label, with allergens identified, and notes whether the list is subject to revision if the recipe changes.