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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Aleksandra Żyłowska-Mharrab, dietitian, food technologist, educator

A food label can tell you anything about a product if you know how to use the information on it. What information can be found on the labels of food products? What principles should I follow when reading labels? What should you be careful not to be manipulated? We break down food labels into prime factors.

Labels of food offered to consumers in packages must be legible, indelible, understandable, not misleading or omitting important information. Of course, we will not run away from marketing tricks and attempts to use the ignorance of buyers, but nowadays it is much easier to make conscious purchases than even 15 years ago.

Food law strongly supports the consumer and requires producers to inform about the exact composition, provide information in a legible way (no more white letters on a yellow background) and name products so that the consumer is aware of what he is buying.

A big revolution was the implementation of the Regulation of the European Parliament on the provision of food information to consumers on 13/12/2014. Nutrition labeling and provisioning rules are changing for the better.

What information must be on the label of the food product?

According to the provisions of food law (a set of national and European regulations on food quality and safety), the label of a food product is to provide information that will allow the consumer to choose a product in line with his expectations. And indeed, food labels are full of information.

Interpreting many of them, however, requires some knowledge, or at least reading comprehension. Therefore, to make it easier to read labels and consciously buy food, let's analyze what information must be included on the product label and what they mean for the consumer.

Name of the food

The name must clearly indicate the type of product and must not be misleading. If ingredients that are not normally added to the food have been added to the food, this must be included in the name, e.g. "vanilla-flavored yoghurt withaddition of whey protein ".

Ingredient list

The ingredients on the list must be listed in descending order of the highest quantity. Sugar or water in the first place in the composition? It's probably not a good product.

Amount of some ingredients

The indication of the quantity of an ingredient or category of ingredients used in the manufacture or preparation of the food product is mandatory when:

  • a given ingredient or a given category of ingredients appears in the name of the food or is usually associated with that name by the consumer,
  • appear on the label in the form of words or graphics,
  • are essential to characterize a food and to distinguish it from products with which it might be confused because of its name or appearance. For example, chocolate with strawberry filling that has a picture of strawberries on the label must have a strawberry percentage in the list of ingredients.

Presence of allergens

If a food contains any ingredient (even in a changed form) that is one of the popular allergens or ingredients causing food intolerances, the producer must inform about it.

Also, if the on-site produces other allergenic products and there is a possibility of cross-contamination with trace amounts, e.g. through dust transfer, the product must be labeled as potentially containing allergens.

Net quantity of food

It is the mass of the product without packaging, after draining, after defrosting, etc.

Production date and freezing date

This applies to frozen products.

Date of minimum durability or use by date

The difference between "eat by" and "best before" is explained in the next paragraph.

Special storage conditions

Products that are easily subject to microbiological changes must be labeled with information on storage conditions that ensure their stability, eg "Once opened, store below 5 ° C for up to 3 days."

Instructions for use

If its lack may prevent proper consumption of the product, it is necessary to enclose the instructions for use.

Nutritional value

Producers are required to include the caloric value, amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and s alt (sodium) in the food.

Details identifying the entity responsible for providing the food information

It does not necessarily have to be the manufacturer, but the entity under whose name or company name the product is marketedfood.

Expiry dates - what is the difference between "eat by …" and "best before …"?

Most food products available in stores are marked with a date preceded by the words "eat by" or "best before". They refer to various food groups, and the consumption of products after exceeding the indicated dates either has he alth or only sensory consequences (e.g. changed consistency, color), or there are no consequences at all, because some food products basically never deteriorate.

"Consume by"

"Eat to" is found on perishable food - fresh meat and fish, meat preparations, packaged fresh vegetables, some fruit and vegetable preserves, dairy products.

We can say that if food in a store is in a refrigerator, its use-by date is described as "use by".

After this date is exceeded, there is a high risk of food spoilage as a result of the development of pathogenic microorganisms in it. It is an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria, mold and fungi due to the high water content.

"Best before"

"Best before" describes the expiry date of food that is stable, such as sweets, tea, groats, rice. After the expiry date, the food is still he althy and harmless, but it may (but does not have to) lose some of its taste and aroma, the emulsion may separate, etc.

There is also a large group of products that do not change their properties for many years. These include pasta, white rice, honey, vinegar, s alt, sugar and dry legume seeds.

The use-by date is then only approximate and does not indicate a change in the properties of the food.

Nutrition claim and he alth claim

Nutrition and he alth claims may appear on the labels of food products.

Nutrition claim

A nutrition claim is defined as any claim that states, suggests or implies that a food has particular nutritional properties because of:

  • energy (calorific value), which: provides; delivers in reduced or increased quantity or does not deliver,
  • nutrients or other substances: which contain, with little or no further content.

A nutritional claim might say something like this: "no added sugar", "low s alt", "preservative-free", "fiber source", "light" -for low-calorie foods.

Nutrition claims are useful when choosing a food item, but they can also be confusing. Often the term "no added sugar" is understood in such a way that the product does not contain sugar. And it contains only the one naturally found in food. Or "a source of fiber." We automatically think that if something is a source of fiber, it means that it is good for he alth and we refrain from checking its composition. For example, crunchy is a source of fiber, but it is also a source of a lot of sugar.

He alth claim

A he alth claim is defined as any claim that states, suggests or implies that there is a relationship between a food category, food, or one of its ingredients and he alth.

Such a statement must be in accordance with official scientific knowledge and must not be misleading. Examples of he alth claims include: "Beta-glucans help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels", "Plant sterols support heart he alth", "Vitamin K contributes to proper blood clotting."

What about food additives or the popular "E"?

Food additives are substances that are not eaten on their own, but are allowed to be used in food production under strict conditions. They are provided with the symbol "E" and usually a three-digit number. Food additives must be accompanied by their technological function in the finished product, eg "antioxidant", "emulsifier", "acidity regulator". These substances are not very famous, they are rather associated with highly processed, poor quality food.

It is often the case that the more "E" in the composition, the worse the product. For example, sausages and frankfurters. Those made of meat do not need binders, antioxidants or preservatives. The clean composition guarantees their quality and durability. On the other hand, stabilizers are added to MOM sausages so that the meat mass is sufficiently compact, antioxidants - because the MOM fat becomes rancid quickly and you need to extend its shelf life.

All this does not mean, however, that food additives are automatic and downright bad. There are certain "E's" the use of which is questionable. Particular attention is paid here to several dyes and their influence on children's behavior.

But tons of food additives are liked and desired substances that occur naturally in food. Examples?

  • E100 - curcumin, a natural dye and a powerful antioxidant,
  • E101 - riboflavin, color, it is vitamin B2,
  • E160d - lycopene, reda tomato dye with numerous he alth-promoting properties,
  • E300 - antioxidant, vitamin C,
  • E270 - lactic acid, naturally produced by lactic acid bacteria in dairy production.

The list of he althy "E" is much longer. It is not the food additives themselves that are the problem (usually). The problem arises when the food you buy is packed with lots of food additives. A long list of additives usually negatively reflects the quality of a food product and its degree of processing.

So how do you approach the "E" on the labels? If there are several of them and the list of ingredients is long - don't buy it. But don't assume that every food with an "E" added to it is bad.

When in doubt what a specific "E" is, you can always check it on the Internet or in apps designed to assess the composition of food products.

What are the pitfalls for consumers?

Food producers still sometimes use tricks on the borderline of food law, although subjectively it seems to me that this happens much less frequently than a decade ago. What kind of tampering with the use of food packaging may be encountered when buying food products?

  • Packaging that suggests a different content than in reality. What can you find in this group? Rapeseed oil with the addition of olive oil. It is sold in a green bottle, which suggests olive oil content, when in fact the addition of olive oil is only a few percent. Spreadable fat packed like butter. Often times, the spreadable fats, which are made by hardening vegetable oils, are packed in exactly the same way as butter in cubes. A mix of spreadable fats with a picture of a cow or butter dish on the packaging still happens. But putting such a drawing suggesting butter on pure margarine is against the law.
  • The ingredient displayed on the label, which in fact only constitutes a few percent of the composition. A drink from the carton of which letters form the word "mango". And there are traces of mango in the composition, because it is a drink based on apple juice. Chocolate cream with a picture of milk and nuts, in which nuts are 13%, powdered milk less than 7%, and pure sugar 55%. Both the first and second examples are legal, because in the list of ingredients the manufacturer shows the percentage of ingredients displayed on the label - mango in juice, nuts and milk in chocolate cream. Veal kabanos sausages. Everything in accordance with the law, because the name is true - the kabanos sausages are made with veal, not veal. But we'll find out about the veal from the frontlabels. The main ingredient (pork), on the other hand, must be found on the back of the ingredients list.
  • Large package, not much inside. The size of the package does not clearly indicate the size of the product. The net weight of the product really shows that. Have you ever bought a tuna that only took up a little more than half a can? Or a marshmallow with gaps on the tray?

How to read labels? - practical tips

  • Pay attention to the name. Food law in this aspect is absolute. Many names of food products are strictly defined. These foods must have a specific composition and production process. This is a guarantee of quality and pure composition. "Juice" is different from "nectar." "Extra butter" is not "extra cream" and "cottage cheese" is not "creamy".
  • Always check the composition. The shorter the better. The popular approach is that the best foods are those with up to 5 entries in the ingredient list. The closer to nature, the better. If you have doubts intuitively, such as soy protein in a pack of minced meat, don't buy it.
  • Check the net weight of the product. In two cans of the same size, the amount of mackerel can be completely different. Why pay for a sauce that takes up half the packet?
  • When buying food from refrigerators, check the expiry date. In stores, there is a FIFO principle - first in first out - according to which products that were digested to the store earlier, i.e. have a shorter expiry date, are placed on top, at hand. If you want the cottage cheese to sit in the fridge for a few days, check the date.
  • Find out about the nutritional value of the product. The labels contain information on the content of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates per 100 g of the product and per serving. The size of the serving varies according to the type of food. Knowing your body's nutritional needs, you can estimate to what extent the product meets them. Is it a good source of protein for you? Can it be included in your weight loss diet? Some producers put information about the GDA, i.e. the reference intake value, on the labels. It shows to what extent, in percentage terms, a portion of the product covers the body's needs for the main nutrients and energy in relation to a 2000 kcal diet. It is not obligatory to include the GDA on the label.
  • Avoid buying products that contain a lot of sugar and s alt. A lot of sugar is more than 10 g in 100 g of the product, and a lot of s alt - more than 0.5 g of sodium or 1.25 gs alt per 100 g.
  • Avoid foods that have water, sugar in various forms (eg glucose-fructose syrup), s alt, mechanically separated meat; in which sugar is repeated many times in the list of ingredients; there are food additives intertwined with food ingredients (1-2 food additives are acceptable, but the whole litany of them raises doubts).

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