Let’s solve the mysteryof food packaging

Let’s solve the mysteryof food packaging

the Australian Guideto Healthy Eating

sometimes foods

investigateFirst, let’s

everyday and

Learn how to read foodlabels to help you makehealthier food choices.

Your Mission

Did you know?

There are around 40,000 products on the shelves of anaverage Australian supermarket.

People are often confused about which products are ahealthier choice because they don’t understand the information on packaging.

The average time spent looking at nutrition labels is25-100 milliseconds. That’s about the same time asit takes to blink!

FIBRE

SUGAR PROTEIN

ENERGYSODIUM SATURATEDFAT

FAT

By understanding food labelsyou will solve the mystery of

the product inside

Learning how to read aproduct label is the key to

comparing products

Unlock healthierchoices

Choose healthierproducts which

are lower in saturated fat, salt

or sugar.

Unlock allergyawareness

Avoid a particularingredient or foodadditive that maycause allergy or

intolerance.

Unlock moralchoices

Choose foods forpersonal or moral

reasons, e.g.organic foods or

Halal foods.

So, let’s put packaging under a magnifying glass

Net Weight

%DI

Name and Description of Food

Packaging Recycling Symbol

Country of Origin

Contact Information

Food Additives

Allergy Statement

Percentage Labelling

Ingredients List

Nutrition Labelling

Storage Requirement

Date Mark

Refer to the worksheet provided. Yourmission is to try to find all of the elements

shown on a food label. Tick them o� asyou find them.

At the end of 5 minutes you will be asked to return to yourseated position on the floor

SUPER SLEUTH CHALLENGE 1

Super Sleuth Sam has five cluesto choosing healthier products

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONServings per twin pack: 2Serving Size 200g

QuantityPerServing

QuantityPer 100g

Energy

* RECOMMENDED DIETARY INTAKE

ProteinFatSaturated FatCarbohydrateSugarsSodium

337kj81Cal8.8g0.2g0.2g10.4g9.6g85mg

168kj40Cal4.4g0.1g0.1g5.2g4.8g42mg

EnergyUse the per 100g (or 100 mls for liquid) column to compare the energy in similar food products.

CarbohydratesIncludes both starches and sugars in a food.SugarsLook for less than 10g per 100g

Total fatThis food islow fat

Saturated fatSimple rule:the lowerthe better

SodiumIs a component of salt. It is found in many foods including both processed and fresh food. Look for less than 400mg per 100g

Can you help Super Sleuth Samcrack the code to understand

food nutrients?

Keeps you warm, protects yourorgans and helps absorb and movenutrients around your body.

Is important in maintaining waterbalance and blood pressure in ourbodies as well as being essential formuscle and nerve activity.

Is the part of plant food (fruit,veggies, whole grains and nuts) thatour bodies do not absorb and keepsour intestines healthy.

Occurs naturally in some foods, likefruit and dairy products, and is oftenadded to foods. Essentially, it is acarbohydrate, and is a source of Kj.

SALT

FIBRE FAT

SUGAR

Super Sleuth Sam has five cluesto choosing healthier products

Nutrient*

Total Fat

Saturated Fat

Healthier choices are 5-10g fat/100g

Choose food with the lowest saturated fat

Sugar Look for less than 10g/100g

Sodium (Salt) Choose products with the lowest amount ofsodium less than 400mg/100g

Fibre Choose products with 3g/100g or choose the onewith the highest amount

Clues for choosing healthier products

Remember, some of the healthiest foods may be unlabelled(e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, lentils, beans, fresh meatand fish)

Using the cereal or snack packaging and Super SleuthSam’s Clues Card, your mission is to locate and record

information related to Salt, Sugar, Fat and Fibre.Rate the levels of each as healthy or unhealthy

according to what you have learnt.At the end of 10 minutes you will be asked to return to your

seated position on the floor

SUPER SLEUTH CHALLENGE 2

Let’s interrogate some fruits andsee how they stack up

ORANGENUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONServings per Pack: 1Serving Size 160g

QuantityPerServing

QuantityPer 100g

Energy 282kj 176kj

Protein 1.8g 1.1g

Fat 0.2g 0.1g

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0.0g

Carbohydrate 13.0g 8.1g

Sugars 13.0g 8.1g

Sodium 5mg 3mg

APPLENUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONServings per Pack: 1Serving Size 112g

QuantityPerServing

QuantityPer 100g

Energy 260kj 232kj

Protein 0.3g 0.3g

Fat 0.1g 0.1g

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0.0g

Carbohydrate 13.7g 12.2g

Sugars 13.4g 12.0g

Sodium 1mg 1mg

BANANANUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONServings per Pack: 1Serving Size 102g

QuantityPerServing

QuantityPer 100g

Energy 396kj 388kj

Protein 1.7g 1.7g

Fat 0.1g 0.1g

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0.0g

Carbohydrate 20.3g 19.9g

Sugars 17.2g 16.9g

Sodium 1mg 1mg

Sometimes nutrients can go undercover and use a

di�erent name

Beef fatButterCoconut oilCocoa butterCophaDiglyceridesDrippingHydrogenated Vegetable oilLardMonoglyceridesPalm oilShorteningTallow

Names for Fat

Brown/raw sugarCorn syrupCane sugarDextroseDisaccharidesFructoseGlucoseGolden syrupHoneyInvert sugarLactoseMaltMalt extractMaltoseMolassesSorbitolSucrose

Names for Sugar

Celery saltChicken saltGarlic saltRock saltSea saltSodium (any type)Table saltVegetable salt

Names for Salt

It is best to investigate the nutrition panel and the

ingredients listThe Nutrition Panel tells youthe amount of nutrients in aserving and per 100g

The Nutrition Panel tells youthe amount of nutrients in aserving and per 100g

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONServings per Pack: 6Serving Size: 31.3g (1 bar)

QuantityPerServing

% DailyIntake PerServing

Energy 540kj 6%

Protein 1.8g 4%

Fat 4.2g 6%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 6%

Carbohydrate 19.8g 6%

Sugars 6.8g 8%

Dietary Fibre 1.8g 6%

Sodium 5mg

1720kj

5.8g

13.4g

4.4g

63.3g

21.8g

5.9g

12mg0.2%

Ingredients:Wholegrain cereal (38%) (rolled oats (28%) whole wheat (10%)), glucose (wheat), dried apricot (9%), vegetable oil (emulsifier (soy lecithin) antioxidants (334, 305)), rice pu�s, (rice flour, oat flour, maize starch, sugar) coconut, dried apple, skim milk powder, honey, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavour, food acid (citric) preservative (sulphur dioxide)**Contains oats, wheat, milk, soy and sulphites as indicated in bold type. Made on a line that also processes products containing tree nuts.** Some ingredients contain sulphur dioxide to maintain the natural colour and shelf life.

QuantityPer 100g

Ingredients that are in bold may be harmful topeople with allergies

Using the package provided, your mission is tolocate the Ingredients List to identify the main

nutrients contained in the food product

Refer to your worksheet for full details of what to record.At the end of 10 minutes you will be asked to return to

your seated position on the floor

SUPER SLEUTH CHALLENGE 3

Some people have another motive for choosing one

product over another:

They make MORAL choicesWhat could they be?

Some MORAL considerations

Vegetarian/vegan

Eat local

Organic

AustralianMade

Religious

Environmental

You have helped Super SleuthSam solve the case by:

CONGRATULATIONS!

Understanding why it is important to read labels

Knowing what to look for in a nutrition panel

Interpreting an ingredient list so you can make

HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES