Session

Food Labelling

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

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

Labelling Requirements

some foods not subject

to same labelling laws
loose foods like fruit and vegetables
home baked has few 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 Terminology
FSA 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 cant 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

Additives - MSG
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 Artificial Sweeteners

Consumer 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 100s colourings
E 102 tartrazine
E 123 amaranth
E 200s preservatives
E 252 potassium nitrite
E 300s antioxidants, acidity regulators
E 330 citric acid

E Number Classification
E 400s emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilisers

E 900s sweeteners, sugars, and waxes

E951 aspartame
E954 saccharin
E955 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
wont be able to completely rule out the intake of additives
become aware of the more harmful ones and avoid them
dont support the use of these additives by purchasing food that
contains them

Learning Check

Can the learner

interpret food labelling information