A food label is a dense little document, and most of it is there because the law requires it. Here is how to read the lines that actually affect how you store and use what you bought.
Net quantity
The weight of the food in the pack, not including the packaging. It is printed on the front panel. Useful when comparing packs: a larger-looking pouch does not always hold more.
The ingredient list
Listed in descending order of weight. That ordering is the single most informative thing on a label — whatever is first makes up the largest share of what is inside. Anything added as a compound ingredient usually has its own components in brackets after it.
The green or brown mark
A green filled circle inside a green square means vegetarian. A brown or red triangle inside a square means non-vegetarian. These are mandatory on packaged food in India, which makes them a faster check than reading the full list.
Date markings
Packs carry either a best before or a use by date, and they do not mean the same thing:
- Best before — a quality date. After it, the food may lose aroma, colour or texture, but is not automatically unsafe.
- Use by — a safety date, used on more perishable foods. Do not use the product after it.
Batch or lot numbers sit near the date. Note them down if you ever need to contact a manufacturer about a specific pack — it is the first thing they will ask for.
Storage instructions, and why they matter more than you think
This is the line people skim, and it is the one that makes the date meaningful. A shelf life is a promise conditional on the stated storage. If a pack says to refrigerate after opening, the date assumes you did. Stored differently, it no longer applies.
Some common phrasing:
- Store in a cool, dry place — away from the stove and out of direct sun. The cupboard above the hob is the worst place in most kitchens.
- Refrigerate after opening — from the moment the seal is broken, not from when it runs low.
- Use a dry spoon — moisture and crumbs introduced from a wet or used spoon are the usual cause of early spoilage in a paste.
Manufacturer and licence details
Packaged food in India carries the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or marketer, and an FSSAI licence number. The licence number can be looked up on the FSSAI's own portal if you ever want to verify who stands behind a product.
For Seelbatta Ginger Garlic Paste specifically
The approved pack label is the authoritative source for ingredients, net quantity, date details, storage and shelf life — and formulations can be updated, so a website can fall behind a pack. Check the label on the pack you have, see our Quality & Ingredients page for what we publish, and contact us with the batch details if anything is unclear.
- product information
- storage
- label
Seelbatta · Kitchen team
Last reviewed 5 Oct 2026
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