Let’s read a food label without being tricked

Whenever we go to a supermarket or any convenience store, do we go through food labels and ensure that the food we consume is healthy? Food labels contain a lot of information, making reading a label quite tricky, misleading the consumer to buy highly processed or unhealthy food as a healthy food option. With the growing world, food options are also increasing with brand competition. This makes shopping a bit confusing when it comes to understanding food labels. Let’s decode food labels so that next time you go to a convenience store you can differentiate between junk and truly healthy foods, to make better food choices.

What is a food label?

Any piece of information that is provided on the food product whether it is written or printed that provides all the details regarding the food contained in is a food label. It usually contains information like brand name, product name and category, ingredients list, nutritional information, related claims, relevant dates etc.

Why food labels are important?

Protection of consumers from any related food fraud and helping them to make informed choices about the food they are consuming are the two most important purposes of the food label. Food labels contain nutritional content so that consumers are aware of how much nutrition they are getting. At the same time, allergen declarations protect consumers from causing severe allergic reactions among sensitive individuals.

Food labels also contains crucial information like use by or best before dates, which indicates how long the food is safe for consumption, preventing foodborne illness related to consumption of expired products. It contains health claims indicating what this product brings to the table above normal nutrition. Additionally, it contains information related to who and who cannot consume a certain products, whether it is a veg or non-veg product, where the product is manufactured, who sells the product and how to use the product etc.

Who regulates food labels in India?

All the food products that are sold in India must comply to Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and labeling) Regulations, 2011, issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Ministry of Health and Family welfare. Failure to comply with  said regulation can lead to serious actions such as fines, product recalls, penalties and delayed product launches.

How to read a food label?

Let’s start from the front of the pack where information related to Brand name, product name, veg, and non-veg logo, claims are provided.

In the example provided, you can see a veg logo and logo for fortified food. So, firstly we will discuss about LOGOs. Look for the following LOGOs to ensure that the product is tested by the concerned regulatory body and is declared as fit for consumption.

FSSAI LOGO with license number

ISI mark for packaged drinking and mineral water and certain processed foods such as infant food, milk and skimmed milk powder

AGMARK for all agricultural products such as vegetable oil, pulses, cereals, spices, honey, fruits and vegetables

(*To read more about why “FSSAI has changed the non-veg logo?” check the detailed article)

• For food products containing egg, meat, fish and seafood and or products derived from these food items a Brown color filled triangle inside a square with brown outline should appear in front.

(Note: The size of the logo depends on the size of the product. For detailed information checkout Click here

Fortified food LOGO:

The logo has been notified by the FSSAI to identify fortified foods. According to The Lancet study, 2022, more than 57 per cent of children globally suffer from vitamin A deficiency.  In addition, a high proportion of pregnant women and their newborns suffer from vitamin D deficiency, globally. As such, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a nationwide campaign to inform the public about fortified foods.

Fortified food means essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals have been added to the food. Eating fortified wheat flour, rice, milk, oil, and salt helps to meet your daily requirement for nutrients that help you grow, fight infections and stay strong and healthy.

Jaivik Bharat LOGO

Apart from this, For those who would like to consume genuine organic food, FSSAI has launched an initiative called Jaivik Bharat to ensure genuineness of food labelled and sold as organic.

The Jaivik Bharat logo, a common identity for organic food, helps you identify authentic organic food.

Recycle LOGO

A great way to help the environment, while fulfilling our food needs is by using products that can be recycled. Sometimes this symbol is used with a percentage figure in the middle to explain that the packaging contains x% of recycled material.

Now, we have basic understanding on logo to look on food label to ensure that the food product is came from a reliable source and it is fit for consumption, its time to discuss on claims that are provided on the food label.

What do the claims on food labels mean?

Generally, three types of claims are provided on food labels.

• Health claim
• Nutrition claim
• Non-additive claim

A “health claim” is any statement that implies or suggests a connection between a food or its ingredients and health benefits. These claims can encompass various aspects of how consuming a food or its components might impact health. Here are some examples of what health claims might include:

1. Nutrient Function Claims:

   Example: “Calcium helps build strong bones. Food X is high in Calcium.”

   This type of claim describes the role of a nutrient in maintaining normal bodily functions.

This claim specifically target individual nutrients like vitamins, minerals and explain their physiological roles in body. Commonly seen on fortified cereals or supplements indicating contribution of specific nutrient on food.

2. Other Function Claims:

Example: “Fiber helps maintain healthy digestion. Food Y contains x grams of fiber.”

These claims look at a broader effects of foods on health. These claims focus on the overall benefits of eating a food or nutrient. They describe how these foods can positively affect your health or improve how your body works. Commonly seen on functional foods or health focused products that indicate their overall benefits, not just specific nutrients.

3. Reduction of Disease Risk Claims:

   Example: “A diet low in saturated fat may reduce the risk of heart disease. Food X is low in saturated fat.”

 This type of claim suggests that a food or nutrient may lower the risk of developing a particular disease or health condition.

4. Claims of Health Benefits:

Example: “Omega-3 fatty acids support heart health. Food Y is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids”

These claims indicate that consuming a particular food or nutrient may contribute to overall health or well-being.

Nutrition Claim:

This is a broad category of statements about the nutritional properties of a food. These claims can include information about the food’s energy value and its content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Types of Nutrition Claims:

Nutrient Content Claim:

This claim describes the amount of a specific nutrient in the food.

-Examples:

  “Contains calcium”: Indicates the food has calcium.

  “High in fiber”: Indicates a significant amount of fiber is present.

  “Low in fat”: Indicates a small amount of fat is present.

Nutrient Comparative Claim:

This claim compares the nutrient levels or energy value of two or more foods.

Examples:

  “Reduced fat”: Indicates that the food has less fat compared to a similar food.
  “More fiber than X”: Indicates that the food has a higher fibre content compared to a regular product of the same brand.

On the given food label it is written that contains 67% less sodium. This claim indicates that the given potato chips have 60% less sodium than their classic sea salt kettle potato chips. Such claims are called as nutrient comparative claim.

 Non-Addition Claim:

This claim states that a certain ingredient or additive has not been added to the food, even though it might normally be expected to be present.

Examples:

  “No artificial colours”: Indicates that the food does not contain artificial coloring.

  “No added sugar”: Indicates that no extra sugar was added to the food, even though sugar might normally be included.

Food labels with Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs):

RDAs refer to the average daily intake level of a nutrient sufficient to meet the needs of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in a specific age and gender group.

These claims help consumers understand the nutritional content of foods, how they compare to other foods, and what ingredients might or might not be included.

The given claim indicates that one serving of the product as directed provides 20% and 31% of the daily value of protein i.e. % of protein required/ day for age-appropriate children.

(Note: The %DV is how much a nutrient in a single serving of an individually packaged food or dietary supplement contributes to your daily diet)

How food labels can be misleading?

If a food label uses terms like “natural,” “fresh,” “pure,” “original, “taza” “traditional,” “authentic,” “genuine,” or “real” in its trademark or brand name, and these terms might mislead consumers about the actual nature of the food, the label must include a clear disclaimer on the front. The disclaimer should state:

“This is only a brand name or trademark, or fancy name and does not represent its true nature.”

• A natural food product is a single food sourced from a known natural source that has no additives or chemicals.
• Fresh: This reference is only permitted for products that have not been processed other than washing, peeling, chilling, trimming, cutting, or low-dose irradiation.
• Pure: It is used for single-ingredient goods that have no extra ingredients and are free of all preventable contamination.

Food labels and allergen declarations:

Any food that contains one of the eight allergens viz., Cereals containing gluten, Crustacean, Milk, Egg, Fish, Peanuts and tree nuts, Soybeans and Sulphite in concentrations of 10 mg/kg or more as an ingredient should have an allergen declaration on the label. The only exception from allergen labelling is raw agricultural commodities.

In case, if there are chances of the presence of allergens due to cross-contamination, they shall be declared separately as “May Contain” statement on the label.

Food labels and nutritional information:

It generally includes the energy value, amount of fat(g), protein(g), carbohydrates(g), vitamins & minerals (metric units), amount of nutrient for which a health or nutrient claim is made etc.

Calculation of Energy value:

Consider a food product containing ingredients in a given amount.

For the calculation of energy use following energy conversion factors are used

Now let’s calculate the energy value.

You can say a food is “trans-fat free” if it has less than 0.2 grams of trans fat per serving. Similarly, you can call it “saturated fat-free” if it has no more than 0.1 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams or 100 millilitres of food. Keep in mind that there’s a 25% margin for error in the nutritional information provided.

(Note: 25% margin means the values can deviate by 25% of the given value. For example, if a given value of protein on the nutritional table is 3.5g/100g it means that this value can deviate by 0.87 (25% of 3.5) i.e. 2.63-4.37, this much deviation is tolerable. Any deviation above or below the range is not allowed.

How specific ingredients are declared on a food label?

If any of the following items are added to the food item, then the following declaration should be included:

How to read an ingredients list on food labels?

Except for single-ingredient foods, a list of ingredients shall be on the label. The names of Ingredients used in the product shall be listed in descending order of their composition by weight or volume.

Example;

A food product contains the following ingredients:

So the ingredients declaration will be as follows:

Ingredients:

Water, sugar, acidity regulators (INS 330, INS 331), artificial sweetener (INS 955), preservative (INS 211), Natural flavouring substances.

(Note: For ingredients such as water, sugar, acidity regulators, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavours, colours, seasonings, polyols, herbs, and cocoa powder declaration of the quantity added is not required in the ingredient list. For some special ingredients, it can be written such as caffeine, taurine, inositol, quinine sulphate etc.)

For pre-packaged foods, here are the additional labeling requirements:

1. Compound Ingredients: If a food includes a mix of ingredients (like a sauce), list that mix on the label with its components in parentheses. If the mix makes up less than 5% of the food, you don’t have to list its details, except for additives.
2. Added Water: Water added during production must be listed unless it’s part of another ingredient like syrup. For dehydrated foods that you add water to, list the ingredients of the reconstituted product and include a note like “Ingredients when prepared as directed.”

3. Ingredient Percentages: If a specific ingredient is highlighted on the label or is key to the food’s identity, its percentage must be shown. This doesn’t apply to flavorings, or if the label already includes specific details like drained weight. For products like milk and fruit beverages, the label must state the amount of fruit pulp or juice added.
4.  Manufacturer’s Address: Every food package must include the name and full address of the manufacturer. For imported foods, the label must show the name and address of the importer in India.
5. Net Quantity: The package must state the net quantity of the food by weight, volume, or number, excluding the weight of any wrappers or packaging materials.
6. Date of Manufacture or Packing: The label must include the date (day, month, and year) when the food was made, packed, or pre-packed. For foods with a shelf life longer than three months, you can list just the month and year along with the “Best Before” date. For foods with a shelf life of three months or less, include the full date along with the “Best Before” date.
7. Country of Origin for Imported Food: The label must state the country where the food was originally produced. If the food is processed in a different country, that country becomes the country of origin for labeling purposes.

References:

• Food labelling regulations in India by India Fillings
• Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018
• Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011
• Guidance note on display of information in food service establishments by FSSAI.
• How to read labels by Eat Right India portal