Food Labelling

Unit 2: Applying the principles of nutrition to a physical activity programme

Session

Aims

To understand the principles of nutrition in relation to food labelling

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session the learner will

• be able to interpret food labelling information

Introduction

• what is in the food product

• what information on the label is reliable

• how to decipher what is on the label

• what are the legal requirements of marketing terminology

• additives and E numbers

Labelling Requirements

• manufacturer

• weight or volume

• storage instructions

• potential allergens (soy, wheat, peanuts, egg, milk)

• date mark

• macronutrient table

• ingredients list

Food Table

• macronutrients and calorie content listed

• typical values – 20% leeway allowed

• one study found only 7% of food products met the stated values

• some foods not subject to same labelling laws

• loose foods like fruit and vegetables

• ‘home baked’ has few labelling requirements

Labelling Requirements

Regulation

• Food Standards Agency (FSA) 2000

• protect public interests in relation to food manufacture

• independently advise the government

• can publish necessary information

• terminology, production, distribution, manufacturing, processing, packaging and labelling

• 1990 Food Safety Act

Marketing TerminologyFSA regulates the use of terms used in food marketing

75% found the use of ‘fresh’, ‘pure’ and ‘natural’ to be misleading

The current legal definitions of these terms are as follows:

• ‘fresh’ – food sold a short time after harvest

• ‘natural’ – made of natural ingredients, not manmade

• ‘pure’ – single ingredient, or highlight the quality of the product

Marketing Terminology

Further legal definitions of commonly used marketing terms are:

• authentic – ‘remains unchanged...originates from the area implied by its name’

• home made – ‘made in the home, or of domestic manufacture’

• traditional – ‘a method of preparation that has remained same for a long period’

• farmhouse – ‘other than bread, it should refer to that produced on a farm’

• original – ‘a method of production that has remained essentially unchanged over time’

Marketing task

Create 3 marketing slogans or phrases that could be printed on a food package using any of the 8 marketing terms identified below. The terms must be used in accordance with the legal definitions, but the intention is to take advantage of the loose descriptions to make the slogans or phrases sound as appealing as possible.

fresh pure natural

authentic home made traditional

original farm house

‘Healthy’ Terminology

Health conscious consumers may seek certain products that carry specific labelling terms:

• low calorie

• reduced fat

• less salt

• high fibre

‘Healthy’ Terminology

• light, low, reduced or high – no legal definition except not to mislead

• reduced or low fat – must be 25% lower n fat than original, but calories may be maintained

• low calorie – must be lower than original but no set stipulation

• sugar free – can’t be misleading, but may still add alternative calorific or artificial sweeteners

Food Additives

Food additives are used to:

• sweeten

• thicken

• stabilise

• emulsify

• preserve

• add texture

• acidify

• colour

Additives - Sugars

Sugar is known to have negative effects on the body

Manufacturers use sugar alternatives less known to the public so that ‘sugar’ does not need to be on the ingredients label

• glucose syrup• glucose-fructose syrup• inverted sugar syrup• high fructose corn starch• maltodextrin• dextrose• sorbitol• mannitol• xylitol

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is used as a flavour enhancer

Shown to affect appetite and may damage the hypothalamus

MSG is present in other processed ingredients used in food such as:

• yeast extract• hydrolysed protein• whey protein isolate• soy protein isolate• carrageenan• most ‘natural’ flavourings

Additives - MSG

Additives – Artificial SweetenersConsumer demand for sugar free options has led to use of artificial sweeteners

Commonly used artificial sweeteners are:

• Aspartame - branded as NutraSweet, Canderel, Equal or Spoonful )

• Sucralose - branded as Splenda

• Acesulfame K

• Saccharin – branded as Hermesetas, Sweet n Low

Each of these sweeteners has raised concerns over their effects on the body and overall health

Additive Task

Learners are to sift through the food labels they have brought into class and identify the presence of any of the following:

Sugar alternatives or calorific sweeteners

MSG or any ingredient containing MSG

Artificial sweeteners

E Number Classification

• E 100’s – colourings

E 102 tartrazineE 123 amaranth

• E 200’s – preservatives

E 252 potassium nitrite

• E 300’s – antioxidants, acidity regulators

E 330 citric acid

E Number Classification

• E 400’s – emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilisers

• E 900’s – sweeteners, sugars, and waxes

E951 aspartameE954 saccharinE955 sucralose

E Numbers – Harmful?

Whilst concerns have been raised regarding the use of additives in food, not all additives are harmful

One research study on this topic concluded:

150 additives caused some mild reaction

60 – 70 caused some adverse reactions in allergic and hypersensitive

30 considered to be harmful and likely to cause adverse side effects

Additives

• get more involved in reading ingredients lists

• won’t be able to completely rule out the intake of additives

• become aware of the more harmful ones and avoid them

• don’t support the use of these additives by purchasing food that contains them

Learning Check

Can the learner

• interpret food labelling information