The government has decided to defer implementation of the new food labeling rules by another three months. The ministry of health had issued a draft notification regarding food labeling which was to be implemented by May 20, but has now deferred the implementation of food labeling notification by another three months. "The government has informed that the implementation date may be deferred by two-three months as the CCFS Committee is reviewing various suggestions received on draft notification which may take some time,' Ashok Sethia, president, Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA), said. The government had earlier deferred implementation of the new food labeling rules by another six months, till February 20, 2008. In view of the practical difficulty in implementing labeling rules in the present form, SEA had requested the health ministry to postpone the implementation for the period of six months. Rule 32(2) (iv) of PFA makes it mandatory for food brands to give nutritional information per 100 gm of the product such as energy value, amounts of protein, carbohydrate, fat, amount and type of fatty acids including saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (Pufa), monounsaturated fatty acids (Mufa) and trans fatty acids, cholesterol and numerical information on vitamins and minerals. SFA, Pufa, Mufa and other ingredients content varies from batch to batch and it is not possible to print the batch-wise label.