Reading food labels is one of the best forms of consumer protection when it comes to food. However, it is imperative to educate consumers about food so that they can make more informed and conscious choices. Given the difficulty consumers have in interpreting labels, Nutrisciente® has developed a practical (and short!) course so that you have the opportunity to learn, in an accessible and practical way, everything about food labelling.

Although the terms ‘label’ and ‘labelling’ are commonly used to refer to the same concept, there are differences between them. And what are these differences?

• A label is a tag, trademark, image or other descriptive graphic indication, written, printed, stencilled, marked, embossed, debossed or affixed to the packaging or container of foodstuffs;

• Labelling means all indications, terms, trade marks, brand names, images or symbols referring to a foodstuff which appear on any packaging, document, notice, label, ring or collar accompanying or referring to that foodstuff.

Labelling is any indication, mention, trademark, image or symbol referring to a foodstuff that appears on any packaging, document, notice, label, ring or collar accompanying or referring to that foodstuff.

From this point of view, ‘labelling’ is a broader term than just the label we see on foodstuffs. In essence, labelling is a ‘citizen’s card’ for each food product, containing information from its origin to the moment we find it on the supermarket shelf. It provides a set of information and indications, including images and symbols, about the foodstuff, which appear on the label, tag, strap or on a sign next to the product.

The label must provide all the information that will enable the consumer to get to know the product and make informed choices. Some of this information is compulsory and some is optional. However, the key to all this information is that you are able to interpret it and make more informed choices for yourself and your health. Throughout this practical course on Food Labelling, you’ll have the opportunity to see various examples and practice exercises that will help you interpret it, step by step! And so that you can start learning right away, we’ll leave you with 3 useful tips, among many others included in this course. Shall we?

Tip #1: Never buy anything without looking at the use-by date

More commonly known as the product’s expiry date. It is usually found in the form of the words ‘use by’, ‘preferably before’ or ‘preferably before the end of’, followed by the day/month/year. It should be noted that for some foods the expiry date is optional, such as sugar, vinegar, salt and wine.

Tip #2: Check the list of allergens

If the food contains one or more ingredients or processing aids or derivatives of a substance or product that cause allergies or intolerances, it is compulsory to mention them on the label. It can be found in the form of a ‘list of allergens’ or highlighted in bold in the list of ingredients, or in the form of ‘may contain traces’ or ‘contains traces of’.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has considered that certain ingredients are more likely to cause adverse reactions. Within an extensive list, some examples of allergens are: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, soya and some soya-based products, nuts, celery, mustard, among many others.

Tip #3: Check the product’s salt content

It has become imperative to include the salt content in the nutritional declaration in Portugal, since excessive salt consumption is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure. On average, the Portuguese consume around 10g of salt a day, double the amount recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which states that daily salt intake should not exceed 5g a day. Unfortunately, these are still the pathologies that contribute most to mortality in Portugal.

The nutritional declaration may also include a reference to ‘sodium’, especially in other countries that don’t list the salt value. The conversion of salt and sodium is based on the following reference:

1g salt – 400mg sodium

These are just a few of the many tips included in our practical course ‘Food labelling – Let’s make it simple?’. You can watch the course here. Want to learn more?

Photo credit: Freepik