U4 AOS1 Flashcards
what is a food label
Food labels in Australia are governed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), which produces the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
- FSANZ sets standards for what information must be on food labels.
why do we have food labels/purpose
The purpose of a food label is to:
* communicate information to help consumers make decisions about their food choices
* informed decision about the health and safety of the food product
*to accurately distinguish between food products
* informed about their purchase and that what they are paying for is exactly what they are getting
* protect public health and safety by displaying information such as use-by dates, ingredients, certain allergens, instructions for storage and preparation, and advisory and warning statements
compulsory info on food labels (11)
- nutrition information panel
- ingredients list
- prescribed name of food
- lot identification
- name and business address of supplier
- advisory statements, warning statements and declarations
- characterising ingredients and percentage labelling
- date marking ( best before and used by dates)
- directions for use and storage
- country of origin
- weight or volume of contents.
optional info on food labels
- barcode
- health star rating
- serving suggestion
barcode
A barcode has become an essential feature on a food product for a food manufacturer and producer, but it is not compulsory to be on a label. As nearly all supermarkets in Australia use scanning technology, having a barcode on the food product provides useful information to the food manufacturer. Computerised information can also be obtained by using a barcode as it can have information embedded into it, such as batch number, manufacturer, country of origin and pricing information.
serving suggestion
Often included on the packet of a food label, the serving suggestion gives the consumer a guide on how to use the product. For example, the label on a tin of apples may include an image and/or recipe for an apple crumble. For the consumer, a serving suggestion changes their perception of the food product, with studies showing that the healthier the serving suggestion is perceived to be, the greater the willingness to buy.
health star rating
Developed by federal and state governments in partnership with the food industry, consumer groups and public health representatives. This is a rating system that companies can apply to the front of their food products to assist in consumers making healthier food choices. The Health Star Rating is from half a star to five stars and takes into account the energy, saturated fats, sugars and sodium content per 100 g of the food product
- only similar products can be compared using the Health Star Rating, and the portion sizes of the foods being compared are not considered.
exceptions of food labels (5)
- single-ingredient foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts and seeds, water and vinegar
- food made and packaged at the point of sale (for example, at a butcher or delicatessen)
- takeaway foods delivered and packaged to order (for example, home-delivered Thai curry)
- very small packages and foods like herbs, spices, salt, tea and coffee
nutrition information panel
The NIP is a compulsory component of a food label in Australia that provides information on the quantity of various nutrients a food contains per serve, as well as per 100 g or 100 mL.
This is particularly important for people to monitor their energy, salt, saturated fat, and sugar
consumption. Additional information about other nutrients, such as calcium and fibre, must be shown in the NIP if the nutrient is mentioned on the package or in the food advertisement.
Halo effect
When we apply this concept to food, we are referring to the way we overestimate the healthfulness of an item based on a single factor or claim, ignoring other relevant information
Nutrition content claims
a statement made by a manufacturer about the amount of a nutrient, energy or a biologically active substance in the food.
These claims are used to persuade consumers to buy the products because they are healthy.
The food label may make a number of nutrition claims, such as ‘gluten free’, ‘low GI’, ‘low fat’, ‘reduced salt’ or ‘high fibre’.
Health claims
A health claim informs consumers of a relationship between a food and a health effect or benefit
Health claims are voluntary and can be used on the food’s label or in advertising.
There are two levels of health claims: general level health claims and high level health claims.
general health claims
The presence of a nutrient or substance in the food and effect that the nutrient will have on health
eg. calcium for healthy bones and teeth
probiotics support the health of the digestive microbiome
high level health claims
The presence of a nutrient or substance in a food and its relationship to a serious disease or condition
eg. cholesterol lowering weetbix states, “reduces cholesterol by up to 9%
the list of ingredients and percentage labelling
A food package must list all the additives and ingredients used during the preparation, manufacture, and handling of food. These ingredients must be listed from most to least in order of weight. The ingredient list tells consumers how much of a food is in a product. If sugar is listed as the first ingredient, then the product contains a significant amount of sugar. Consumers can determine the type of vegetables included in a product or which product contains more additives compared to another. They can also determine whether products contain added salt, sugar, and fat.
