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GCE Topic 2 Information on food labels

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Information

on food labels

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Claims on labels

There are two types of claims on labels

1. A nutrition claim 2. A health claim

Q. What are nutrition claims?

Give examples

Q. What are health claims? Give examples


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1. Nutrition claims

A nutrition claim is any claim claim that states, suggests or implies that the food has a particular beneficial nutritional property due to the following;

The energy (calorific value)

• it provides

• it provides at a reduced or increased rate, or

• it does not provide

The nutrients or other substances

• it contains, for example high fibre

• it contains in reduced or increased proportions, for example low fat, or

• it does not contain, for example trans fats.


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Nutrition labelling

Q: When is it mandatory to provide nutrition labelling on a food product?• It is mandatory if a nutrition claim (for example, low fat) or health claim (for example,

with Omega 3) is made

•Sometimes manufacturers provide it voluntarily even if the food does not make a nutrition or health claim. It doesn’t apply to natural mineral waters

• Nutrition labelling is covered by the Food Labelling Regulations (Northern Ireland 1996). Nutrition claims are covered under the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007, as amended

1. A nutrition claim 2. A health claim


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Health claims

A health claim is any claim that states, suggests or implies that a relationship exists between a food category, a food or one of its constituents and health. Health claims must be based on generally accepted scientific data and be well understood by the average consumer.

To ensure health claims are genuine the European Food Safety Authority put together a list of health claims that can be used by food manufacturers.

The following health claims cannot be made.•Claims on alcoholic beverages•Claims that health could be affected by not consuming the food•Claims that refer to the rate or amount of weight loss•Claims that refer to recommendations of individual doctors or health professionals


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Superfoods

Superfoods is a term that has been used by some manufacturers and retailers to suggest a food can protect against certain diseases.

Under EU legislation, use of the term superfoods is not allowed unless it is accompanied by an authorised health claim that explains to consumers why the product is good for their health.

Avocado Broccoli Blueberries


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Functional foods

Functional foods is a loosely defined marketing term that is applied to foods containing added ingredients that have a supposed health benefit.

Added minerals

Added calcium


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Marketing terms

Sugar100% Natural

Q. Who uses marketing terms

and why?

Certain terms are used by manufacturers, producers and retailers to market their products, but it is important that these terms do not mislead consumers. These are known as marketing terms.

Examples of marketing terms

•Fresh – Can be helpful to identify produce that is sold within a short time of production or harvesting

•Pure – Mostly for foods containing single ingredients to which nothing has been added

•Natural – Only contains natural ingredients with no other added ingredients


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Special dietary advice – allergens

•Food allergy, food intolerance and coeliac disease can cause some people to become ill

•Food allergy symptoms can be immediate and even fatal

• It is important that food labels help people with a food allergy or intolerance make safe food choices

• There are 14 ingredients (including derivatives) that by law must be mentioned on the label in the ingredients

list, even if added at very low levels

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* Products containing gluten can be labelled ‘gluten free’ if the concentration of gluten is less than 20mg/kg or ‘very low gluten’ if concentration is less than 100mg/kg. This allows people with coeliac disease to make more informed choices.

Celery Eggs Fish Cereals containing gluten* (wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt and kamut)

Molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)

Sesame seeds Crustaceans (such as lobster and crab)

Nuts Lupin Milk

Mustard Peanuts Sulphur dioxides and sulphites

Soybeans

Q. Why is special dietary advice important on

labelling?


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Special dietary advice – allergens

Some manufacturers include an allergy advice box on the label which highlights allergens present in the food.

Some manufacturers voluntarily use precautionary labelling to indicate any doubts or uncertainties they have about the presence of a particular allergen in their food product. This includes ‘may contain’ statements, and ‘produced in a factory where nuts are used.’ Consumers who are sensitive to certain foods must take all precautionary labelling into account.

Allergy advice box Precautionary labelling

ALLERGY ADVICEPacked in a factory handling nuts and sesame seeds.


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Special dietary advice – vegetarians & vegans

Vegetarian logo Vegan logo

If a food is labelled vegetarian, it means that the food doesn’t contain any meat, fish, or poultry etc. or additives from animal sources such as gelatine.

Products carrying the Vegetarian Society Approved logo must meet certain requirements laid down by the Vegetarian Society.

If a food is labelled vegan, it means that the food does not contain any animal products, including those from living animals – such as milk.

VEGETARIAN


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Natural SubstanceArtificial Substance

Ingredients as served (greatest first):

Noodles (Water, Wheat Flour, Palm Oil (contains Antioxidants (E320, E330, E310)), Salt), Onion, Salt, Glucose Syrup Solids, Flavour Enhancers (E621, E635), Garlic, Parsley, Yeast Extract (contains Barley), Flavouring, Maltodextrin, Turmeric, Malic Acid,

Vegetable Oil, Chicken Fat, Acidity Regulators (E330, E262(ii), E339), Celery, Milk Powder and Wheat Flour. E300

Food additives

Food additives are:• any substance added to food at any stage in the production, processing, treatment, packaging,

transportation or storage of that food•often natural substances and in many cases are actually vitamins and minerals.

Food additives cannot be used if they:•disguise faulty processing•deceive the consumer•reduce the nutritional value of the food.

There are seven main groups of food additives:•antioxidants•colours•flavour enhancers•sweeteners•emulsifiers•stabilisers •preservatives.

E numbers are codes for food additives which are found on food labels throughout the EU. For example, E300 is vitamin C.

Q. Why are foodadditives used?


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Labelling laws: controls on additives

All food additives used in the EU undergo the following steps.Step 1: A safety evaluation

Step 2: Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) (determining the level below which the intake of the substance can be considered safe)

Step 3: A unique E number assigned

Labelling laws• The same code for E numbers is used throughout the EU. Additives are classed

according to their function and assigned a code, which consists of the letter E followed by three numbers.

• European Union (EU) legislation requires most additives used in foods to be labelled clearly in the list of ingredients, either by name or by an E number

•This allows the consumer to avoid foods containing specific additives•Some examples of E numbers are E101 Vitamin B1, E300 Vitamin C• The laws relating to food additives are set out in European Community

Regulation No. 1333/2008

Ingredients:Chicken Meat, Soya Protein, Modified Corn Starch and Spices. Contain Permitted Flavour Enhancer(E450, E451, E452) and Preservative (E250, E252).

FLAVOUR SACHET: Salt, Flavourenhancers (E621, E627, E631)Chicken flavour, hydrolysed vegetable protein (soy, wheat), onion powder, sugar, yeast extract, maltodextrin, parley, herbs, spices,colour (E160b).


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Organic food

Organic food plays a role in providing choice for consumers.

There are many different reasons why consumers choose to buy organic food. These can include health reasons, concern for the environment and animal welfare. Eating organic food is one way to reduce consumption of pesticide residues and additives. However, organic food can often be more expensive and less readily available.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC:IE-Org-02Licence No 4205

IOFGA

App

roved Organic Standard


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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms, such as plants and animals, whose genetic characteristics are being modified artificially in order to give them a new property. Food and feed which contain or consist of such GMOs, or are produced from GMOs, are called genetically modified (GM) food or feed.

Issues with GM food Some consumers object to GM foods for a variety of reasons including:

• a fear of potential damage to the environment

•ethical or moral concerns

•perceived food safety risks.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

DressingIngredients: water, vegetable oils (contains genetically modified soya bean oil), sugar, vinegar, modified starch, wheat starch, salt, mustard (water, mustard seed, vinegar, salt, spices, herbs), egg yolk, thickener (E412), acids (E330), preservatives (E202)

GM on label

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