Understanding the Basics of Food Labelling

With the advent of government notification on labelling requirements for food processors, food labels are now seen on most of the packed food items. The law received some resistance for various reasons from sections of food industry, delaying its implementation at the national level. Most of the small-scale food manufacturers disapproved the law as it meant additional expense and commitment for them. However, the manufacturers need to be assured that the labels indeed contain a great deal of nutritional information. It is beneficial for the consumers as they can easily choose a healthier food option and beneficial for food manufacturers as labelling is a good marketing tool and it also helps them in competitor mapping!

The consumers are exposed to numerous food items and various types of food labels in the market. This article has been written for the benefit of consumers so that they can ‘READ’ the food label and select the food product to suit their preference.

What are the benefits of food label for the consumer?
Label is the first point of contact between the consumer and the producer. It allows the consumers to know what exactly they are buying in terms of calories, proteins, fats etc. and thus enables them to make a ‘health conscious selection’. It informs the consumers regarding weight of the product, best before date, storage conditions and cooking recipe if any. It allows consumers to compare food products by Value for Money.

What should the consumer see in a food label?
As per the Indian Regulations a food label must have

1. Product name and category of food
2. An ingredient list in descending order of weight
3. Logo for Vegetarian / Non Vegetarian Food
4. Nutrition facts panel or information which includes energy, protein, carbohydrate (sugars) & fat
5. The shelf life (Use by or Best before date)
Use By—- The “Use By “code is used for foods that are microbiologically highly perishable foods which deteriorate and become dangerous to human health after a short time. (eg. chilled foods, cooked chilled meals which should be refrigerated)
Best Before — This type of code is used for products where ‘Use By’ date is not applicable or required. The best before date must be expressed as a day, month & year in that order. Some products are not required to be date marked for ex.eg. wines & spirits which have long shelf life, fresh fruits & vegetables, etc.
6. Storage conditions
7. The name & address of the manufacturer, packer and / or seller
8. The country of origin (in case of imported foods)
9. The weight
10. Instructions for use

Apart from the nutrition facts which are mentioned above, some products claim additional benefits for their products to attract the consumers. These are either health claims or nutritional claims.
Health claims establish a relationship between a food & disease or medical condition. For example claims like ‘Good for Heart’, ‘Good for Growing Children’ etc. However, it needs to be noted that at present the Indian Food Regulations do not have clear guidelines on Health Claims for foods.
Nutritional claims quickly inform a consumer of nutritional value of a product for example ‘Low Fat’ or ‘Zero Cholesterol’.

Some of the packed food items may not have all the above information on their food label as the label requirement depends on the type of food and packing size, the details of which are available in the government notifications.

What is the significance of Nutrition Facts on the food label?
The nutrition facts panel for an Indian product must contain declarations regarding energy, carbohydrate and fat. The nutrients are generally expressed as mg or gm per 100 gm or per 100 ml. In some cases they are expressed as amount per serving, and one serving is generally considered as 1 cup or approximately 228 gm.

Energy – Energy is expressed as Calories. Calorie requirement may vary from person to person as it depends on the age, health status, activity level, gender and weight of the consumer. An average adult requires between 2000 and 2700 calories a day. Calories are provided from three macronutrients — fat, carbohydrate & protein.

Total Fat – 20–35% of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from fats. Fats derived from olive oil, fish oil etc. are beneficial and should be incorporated in the diet.

Total Carbohydrates – Total carbohydrates include simple sugars, complex carbohydrates & dietary fibres. Healthier carbohydrate choice includes whole fruits, or complex carbohydrates like beans, potatoes & pasta. Approximately 45-65 % of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from carbohydrates.

Protein – Proteins are used to maintain & repair human body tissues and to make enzymes. They are responsible for many other functions that encourage overall growth and development of human body. Essential amino acids need to be obtained only from diets which are rich in proteins. Animal products, grains, beans, nuts & some vegetables are good source of proteins. 20–35% of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from proteins.

Why some food labels have more information regarding the nutrition facts?
Apart from the mandatory nutrition declarations some food labels display contents of cholesterol, MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids), PUFA (poly unsaturated fatty acids), trans fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres and sugar alcohols. These nutrients are included because

1.The food label either has a health claim or a nutritional claim.
2.Internationally, the food labels are as per Codex Alimentarius guidelines. The requirements for food label at the international level are vast and include many of the additional nutrients which are mentioned above. The Indian food regulations so far have been restricted only to total carbohydrates, sugar, fat, protein and energy facts. However, considering the global requirements the Indian regulations may get broader with time. The producers are therefore proactive and prefer displaying additional information. It means a one-time investment on their product label and also helps them to benchmark their products with international brands.

What is the significance of these additional nutrients?
Cholesterol – It is the most ‘talked-about’ nutrient these days. There are two types of cholesterol ie. HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) which protects heart and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) linked to higher risk of heart disease. Foods obtained from animal fats like meat, poultry should be taken in moderate amounts. Foods rich in soy proteins, monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats, omega 3 fatty acids, soluble fibres etc. help in reducing the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Dietary Fibres: They are obtained mostly from foods of plant origin like legumes, fruits, whole grain foods, root vegetables like potato, sweet potatoes and onions. They help in reducing cholesterol levels, colitis, colon cancer etc.

Vitamins & Minerals – Vitamins & minerals play an important role in food metabolism, in maintaining good vision and in fighting the infections.

Some food labels display % Daily Value. What is % Daily Value?
% Daily Value (DV) is not mandatory as per the Indian guidelines. It is provided for each nutrient except sugar & protein. It represents the percentage of nutrient in a food product compared with total amount of that nutrient a person should have in one day, based on 2000 calorie diet. For example, a label may show that a serving of the food provides 30 per cent of the daily recommended amount of dietary fibre. This means you still need another 70 per cent to meet the recommended goal. Nutrition experts recommend limiting total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Foods with a lower per cent DV for these nutrients should be preferred. On the other hand foods with a higher per cent DV for vitamins, minerals and fibres should be included in the diet.

Does it mean that all the food categories bear food labels?
Certain categories of food are exempted from the labelling requirements. Some foods are prepared as per customer requirements. The process of food manufacturing in some cases is not mechanised and the sources of raw materials keep on varying and that is why these products can not have food labels. For example, foods served in hotels, hospitals, by vendors like halwaiis etc. Other food products which are exempted from labelling requirements include raw agricultural commodities like rice, wheat, cereals, sugar, salt, non-nutritive products like tea, coffee, spices, processed and pre-packaged assorted vegetables and fruits, products that comprise single ingredients like papad, pickle as declared in the government notification GSR 664 E.

Thanks to the food labelling regulations, consumers can now make a wise decision and choice before buying processed food products off the shelf and feel Safe than Sorry.

Authors:
Sujata Chivate & Dr. Priti N. Amritkar
Envirocare Labs Pvt Ltd
Email: priti.a@envirocare.co.in