Food Label Information Research Articles

Awareness and Practices about Using Food Labeling among Adolescents in the City of Vijayapura, Karnataka

Abstract Background: Obesity among Indian adolescents is on the rise. Obesity among Indian adolescents is on the rise and unhealthy snacking habits, and consumption of processed and packaged foods are a major cause of it. Food labels on packets provide information on its contents; however, its awareness and use are to be evaluated. Methodology: A cross-sectional study among 206 adolescents of a 2 tier city in South India were administered questionnaire to assess their awareness and practice using food label information. Results: All the adolescents purchased packaged foods at least once during their school time, with chips/biscuits being the most commonly bought foods. About 86% of them were aware of food labels and only 57% knew about nutritional information. Endorsement by celebrity or peer approval made the nutritional claims more trustworthy. About half always read labels before buying, and “date of manufacture” or “date of expiry” was the most commonly read information. Conclusion: The awareness regarding food package labels is high among adolescents; however, their actual usage is low. There is a need to educate adolescents regarding food label use and study alternative methods to display label information effectively.

Digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS): 10 years on.

The objective of the review is to revisit the findings of the 2011 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Expert Consultation on Dietary Protein Quality Evaluation in Human Nutrition, and to report on progress on uptake of the findings. It is evident that since 2011 there has been a concerted research effort to enhance an understanding of the protein quality of foods. The validity of the growing pig ileal protein digestibility assay has been confirmed and numerous studies reported using the growing pig as a model to give true ileal amino acid digestibility values for foods as consumed by humans. This has allowed for the determination of digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAAS) for a range of foods. A new non-invasive true ileal amino acid digestibility assay in humans which can be applied in different physiological states, called the dual-isotope assay, has been developed and applied to determine the DIAAS values of foods. It is concluded that DIAAS is currently the most accurate score for routinely assessing the protein quality rating of single source proteins. In the future, the accuracy of DIAAS can be enhanced by improved information on: the ideal dietary amino acid balance including the ideal dispensable to indispensable amino acid ratio; dietary indispensable amino acid requirements; effects of processing on ileal amino acid digestibility and lysine bioavailability. There is a need to develop rapid, inexpensive in vitro digestibility assays. Conceptual issues relating DIAAS to food regulatory claims, and to holistic indices of food nutritional and health status are discussed. The first recommendation of the 2011 Consultation regarding treating each indispensable amino acid as an individual nutrient has received little attention. Consideration should be given to providing food label information on the digestible contents of specific indispensable amino acids.

Factors affecting on Consumers Use of food labels in Benghazi/Libya

Food labels found to be very important public health tools that are assist people who are on special diet or with nutrition related health problems and diseases. The current study aims to identify various factors influencing in using of food label. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at supermarkets and malls in Benghazi city. Study included four hundred participants, data were collected by questionnaires. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics. Chi-Square test used to examine the significant differences in the sample. The majority of consumers reported to use of the food label information in making purchasing decisions, the expiration date was the most used food label information, while the fat and calorie/energy were the most used nutrition label components. The present study revealed that price of food products as a most motivating factor to use and read food label. Unfamiliar language and small font sizes of food label were mentioned as difficulties and circumstances encountered in using food label information. Findings from this study will facilitate future public education efforts to promote the use of food labels.

Study of Consumer Awareness of Pre-packaged Food Products Labelling in Benghazi/Libya

Food label is one of the most important direct means of communication of product information between consumers and food manufactures. The current study aims to determine level of awareness on pre-packaged food label information, and to determine the associated socio-demographic variables that associated with level of awareness. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at supermarkets and malls in Benghazi city. Study included four hundred participants, data were collected by questionnaires. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics. Chi-Square test used to examine the significant differences in the sample. The majority of participants were male, young and most of them were married, employers with high education level and middle-income level. Awareness level of pre-packaged food labels was found to be low among consumers in Benghazi city.

Healthy bread quality index based on food label information

Healthy bread quality index based on food label information

Is the List of Ingredients a Source of Nutrition and Health Information in Food Labeling? A Scoping Review.

Nutrition labelling is any description intended to inform consumers about the nutritional properties of a food product and has focused primarily on nutrients. However, literature has shown that the nutritional quality of packaged foods is not limited to the amount of nutrients, considering that individuals do not consume only nutrients separately, but rather the entire food matrix. Therefore, to analyze the nutritional quality of a packaged food, it is necessary to read its ingredients. This scoping review aims to discuss (1) the list of ingredients as a source of health and nutrition information in food labelling; (2) opportunities to improve the nutrition labeling policies around the world. The study was carried out through a systematic search on Codex Alimentarius meeting reports. Results show that the list of ingredients is used as a source of nutritional and health information on food labelling; however, this label item is not considered in the regulatory field as a nutrition labelling requirement. It is suggested that nutrition labelling be discussed as a tool for food choices in the context of public health from a broader, consistent, convergent perspective, considering the list of ingredients as an item of nutrition labelling requirement to be included in public policies around the world.

A Study on the Design Method of Food Labeling Information for Allergic Patients

A Study on the Design Method of Food Labeling Information for Allergic Patients

İstanbul İlinde Pastane ve Fırınlarda Üretilen Glutensiz Ürünlerde Gluten Varlığı

Gluten is a complex protein that forms the basis of bakery products, including pastry products, with its elasticity. Gluten proteins are constituted by gliadin and glutenin. Gliadin, which is in the water-insoluble protein group, is very difficult to digest. Many immune disorders influence a growing number of people in relation to the consumption of wheat flour-based foods. The aim of this study is to determine the status of gluten-free products with the legal limits of the gluten-free products sold in pastry shops and bakeries in Istanbul, Turkey. Ninety samples in total including gluten-free bread, cakes, cookies, snacks, and cereals were collected from various regions of Istanbul in November 2020. The samples obtained were examined by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) for the presence of gluten. As a result, the presence of gluten was found to be lower than 5 ppm in 61 samples (67.7%), between 5-20 ppm in 8 samples (8.8%), and 20 ppm and above in 21 samples (23%). Within the scope of Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Labeling and Consumer Information Number 29960, some foods were inappropriate products which offered to consumption as gluten-free in patisseries and bakeries. It could be thought that risks might be reduced to the maximum extent with hygiene and sanitation training in food businesses, analysis in terms of gluten in raw materials and final products, control of contamination from raw materials, personnel and environment during the production phase, and gluten analysis at critical points.

Impact of educational intervention in promoting KAP of food label information to make healthier food choices among adolescents in Bangalore City.

Increasing adolescent obesity, a reason for the onset of adult chronic diseases, has become an important public health priority. Food choices are impacted by the growing availability of processed and pre-packaged meals, the rise in eating out compared to eating at home, low nutrition literacy, and the inability to evaluate calorie and nutrient information. The objective is to assess the current knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of the adolescents regarding food label information to make healthier food choices, to improve their KAP regarding the same through health education using pictorial representation, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the health education. An educational intervention study was performed among 200 adolescent students (13-15 years) in selected schools in Bangalore city. Health education was given using materials like charts, models, and posters in an interactive way. Pre-KAP and post-KAP were assessed using questionnaires. The study comprised 145 (72.5%) girls and 55 (27.5%) boys with the mean age of 14.02 years. Only 102 (51%) were having knowledge that food labels must be read irrespective of health issues or disease. Only 81 (40.5%) calculated the total nutrient intake before taking food items before intervention, which was increased to 147 (73.5%) post intervention. The results of the present study successfully proved that nutritional educational intervention by pictorial representation was feasible and successfully improved the understanding and use of food label information for making healthier food choices among adolescents.

PTFS09-06-23 Compliance With Mandatory and Voluntary Food Labeling Information Across Major Online Food Retailers in the United States

PTFS09-06-23 Compliance With Mandatory and Voluntary Food Labeling Information Across Major Online Food Retailers in the United States

Nutritional information on the labels of processed and ultra-processed foods and beverages marketed in a supermarket chain in Lima in 2022.

Motivation for the study. Peruvian Law No. 30021 establishes the use of warning octagons for foods with high content of critical nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated and trans fats); however, the declaration of nutritional information is not mandatory. Main findings. Of a total of 4404 processed and ultra-processed foods marketed in supermarkets in Lima, only 71.4% declared some type of nutritional information. In addition, only 46.0% declared information on the content of critical nutrients regulated by Law No. 30021. Implications. There is a need for a mandatory and standardized declaration of nutritional information on packaged foods marketed in Peru, in order to allow the population to make healthy decisions when choosing their food and to monitor the correct use of warning octagons. . To estimate the number of processed and ultra-processed beverages and foods that provide nutritional information on their packaging, and to describe the characteristics of this information, as well as to determine the presence of nutritional information on products with octagons. Photographs were taken of the labels of 4404 processed and ultra-processed beverages and foods marketed in supermarkets in Metropolitan Lima. The information on the label was collected and registered in the mobile and web version of the Food Label Information Program (FLIP). We analyzed variables related to the nutritional information, the way in which such information is declared and the information in beverages and foods with octagons. Only 71.4% of the products had some type of nutritional information. Of these, 13.8% provided the nutritional information as a text and not in a table, and only 56.3% declared it per 100 grams or milliliters. Of the total number of foods with the octagon "Contains trans fats", only 19.2% declared their content. More than a quarter of the beverages and packaged foods in the Peruvian market did not provide nutritional information of any kind, and of those that did, only one did so in different formats and units. In addition, we found that a proportion of beverages and foods for each type of octagon did not declare information of the nutrient that is mentioned in the octagon.

Estimating Canadian sodium intakes and the health impact of meeting national and WHO recommended sodium intake levels: A macrosimulation modelling study.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the second leading cause of total deaths in Canada. High blood pressure is the main metabolic risk factor for developing CVDs. It has been well established that excess consumption of sodium adversely affects blood pressure. Canadians' mean sodium intakes are well above recommended levels. Reducing dietary sodium intake through food reformulation has been identified as a cost-effective intervention, however, dietary sodium intake and the potential health impact of meeting recommended sodium intake levels due to food reformulation have not been determined in Canada. This study aimed to 1) obtain robust estimates of Canadians' usual sodium intakes, 2) model sodium intakes had foods been reformulated to align with Health Canada's sodium reduction targets, and 3) estimate the number of CVD deaths that could be averted or delayed if Canadian adults were to reduce their mean sodium intake to recommended levels under three scenarios: A) 2,300 mg/d-driven by a reduction of sodium levels in packaged foods to meet Health Canada targets (reformulation); B) 2,000 mg/d to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation; and C) 1,500 mg/d to meet the Adequate Intake recommendation. Foods in the University of Toronto's Food Label Information Program 2017, a Canadian branded food composition database, were linked to nationally representative food intake data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition to estimate sodium intakes (and intakes had Health Canada's reformulation strategy been fully implemented). The Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl (PRIME) was used to estimate potential health impact. Overall, mean sodium intake was 2758 mg/day, varying by age and sex group. Based on 'reformulation' scenario A, mean sodium intakes were reduced by 459 mg/day, to 2299 mg/day. Reducing Canadians' sodium intake to recommended levels under scenarios A, B and C could have averted or delayed 2,176 (95% UI 869-3,687), 3,252 (95% UI 1,380-5,321), and 5,296 (95% UI 2,190-8,311) deaths due to CVDs, respectively, mainly from ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive disease. This represents 3.7%, 5.6%, and 9.1%, respectively, of the total number of CVDs deaths observed in Canada in 2019. Results suggest that reducing sodium intake to recommended levels could prevent or postpone a substantial number of CVD deaths in Canada. Reduced sodium intakes could be achieved through reformulation of the Canadian food supply. However, it will require higher compliance from the food industry to achieve Health Canada's voluntary benchmark sodium reduction targets.

Child-appealing packaged food and beverage products in Canada-Prevalence, power, and nutritional quality.

Children are frequently exposed to marketing on food packaging. This study evaluated the presence, type and power of child-appealing marketing and compared the nutritional quality of child-appealing vs. non-child-appealing Canadian packaged foods and examined the relationship between nutrient composition and marketing power. Child-relevant packaged foods (n = 5,850) were sampled from the Food Label Information Program 2017 database. The presence and power (# of techniques displayed) of child-appealing marketing were identified. Fisher's Exact test compared the proportion of products exceeding Health Canada's nutrient thresholds for advertising restrictions and Mann Whitney U tests compared nutrient composition between products with child- /non-child-appealing packaging. Pearson's correlation analyzed the relationship between nutrient composition and marketing power. 13% (746/5850) of products displayed child-appealing marketing; the techniques used, and the power of the marketing varied ([Formula: see text] 2.2 techniques; range: 0-11). More products with child-appealing packaging than with non-child appealing packaging exceeded Health Canada's thresholds (98% vs. 94%; p < .001). Products with child-appealing packaging (vs. non-child-appealing) were higher in total sugars (median: 14.7 vs. 9 g/RA; p < .001) and free sugars (11.5 vs. 6.2 g/RA; p < .001), but lower in all other nutrients. There was weak overall correlation between marketing power and nutrient levels. Results varied by nutrient and food category. Unhealthy products with powerful child-appealing marketing displayed on package are prevalent in the food supply. Implementing marketing restrictions that protect children should be a priority.

Canadian Free Sugar Intake and Modelling of a Reformulation Scenario.

Recommendations suggest limiting the intake of free sugar to under 10% or 5% of calories in order to reduce the risk of negative health outcomes. This study aimed to examine Canadian free sugar intake and model how intakes change following the implementation of a systematic reformulation of foods and beverages to be 20% lower in free sugar. Additionally, this study aimed to examine how calorie intake might be impacted by this reformulation scenario. Canadians' free sugar and calorie intakes were determined using free sugar and calorie data from the Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017, a Canadian branded food composition database, and applied to foods reported as being consumed in Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition (CCHS-Nutrition) 2015. A "counterfactual" scenario was modelled to examine changes in intake following the reformulation of foods to be 20% lower in free sugar. The overall mean free sugar intake was 12.1% of calories and was reduced to align with the intake recommendations at 10% of calories in the "counterfactual" scenario (p < 0.05). Calorie intake was reduced by 3.2% (60 calories) in the "counterfactual" scenario (p < 0.05). Although the overall average intake was aligned with the recommendations, many age/sex groups exceeded the recommended intake, even in the "counterfactual" scenario. The results demonstrate a need to reduce the intake of free sugar in Canada to align with dietary recommendations, potentially through reformulation. The results can be used to inform future program and policy decisions related to achieving the recommended intake levels of free sugar in Canada.

Dietitians as change agents for promoting healthy and sustainable food systems

Dietitians as change agents for promoting healthy and sustainable food systems

Comparing the nutritional composition of foods and beverages in the Canadian Nutrient File to a large representative database of Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages.

Nutrient information used to code dietary intakes in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) may not be reflective of the current Canadian food supply and could result in inaccurate evaluations of nutrient exposures. To compare the nutritional compositions of foods in the CCHS 2015 Food and Ingredient Details (FID) file (n = 2,785) to a large representative Canadian database of branded food and beverage products (Food Label Information Program, FLIP) collected in 2017 (n = 20,625). Food products in the FLIP database were matched to equivalent generic foods from the FID file to create new aggregate food profiles based on FLIP nutrient data. Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare nutrient compositions between the FID and FLIP food profiles. In most food categories and nutrients there were no statistically significant differences between the FLIP and FID food profiles. Nutrients with the largest differences included: saturated fats (n = 9 of 21 categories), fiber (n = 7), cholesterol (n = 6), and total fats (n = 4). The meats and alternatives category had the most nutrients with significant differences. These results can be used to prioritize future updates and collections of food composition databases, while also providing insights for interpreting CCHS 2015 nutrient intakes.

Development and validation of a multiplex real-time PCR assay for accurate authentication of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) in food

The increased demand for accurate information on ingredients listed on food product labels requires identifying a plant's species of origin. To efficiently and rapidly discriminate between common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), here we developed a multiplex real-time PCR assay. This assay included target species-specific and shared primer/probe sets representing the two buckwheat species. Multiplex real-time PCR analyses specifically amplified the target species without detectable cross-reactivity with nontarget plant samples. The detection limit was 1% for common buckwheat in tartary buckwheat and 2% for tartary buckwheat in common buckwheat. The method was verified through application to processed products and was confirmed through comparison with the food label information. The species identified were identical to those declared on the product label. Therefore, this multiplex real-time PCR assay will serve as a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for detection of buckwheat species in foods.

THE FACTORS AND ISSUES AFFECTING FOOD LABELLING AND THE NEED FOR LABELLING DESIGN FRAMEWORK: A REVIEW

Food labelling is critical in facilitating the exchange of information about a food product between users and the food industry or system. The food label information enables consumers to understand the food better and make healthier food choices based on the food labelling information. Given the critical role of food labelling in consumer decision-making, the industry must understand how the design elements of food labelling influence the consumer's perception of food selection. Understanding consumers' perspectives and needs regarding labelling is critical for effective information delivery and thus creating a need for a labelling design framework. Therefore, this study aims to highlight the need for food labelling frameworks, issues, and factors affecting labelling from past study viewpoints. The study's findings hope to contribute to developing new food label designs that emphasise effective communication, design selection, and the application of design elements to convey ingredient and nutritional information.

Empirical Analysis of Behavioral Changes in Food Labeling Information: Based on a Behavioral Insight Method

Empirical Analysis of Behavioral Changes in Food Labeling Information: Based on a Behavioral Insight Method

Natural language processing and machine learning approaches for food categorization and nutrition quality prediction compared with traditional methods

BackgroundFood categorization and nutrient profiling are labor intensive, time consuming, and costly tasks, given the number of products and labels in large food composition databases and the dynamic food supply.Objectives: This study used a pretrained language model and supervised machine learning to automate food category classification and nutrition quality score prediction based on manually coded and validated data, and compared prediction results with models using bag-of-words and structured nutrition facts as inputs for predictions. MethodsFood product information from University of Toronto Food Label Information and Price Database 2017 (n = 17,448) and University of Toronto Food Label Information and Price Database 2020 (n = 74,445) databases were used. Health Canada’s Table of Reference Amounts (TRA) (24 categories and 172 subcategories) was used for food categorization and the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) nutrient profiling system was used for nutrition quality score evaluation. TRA categories and FSANZ scores were manually coded and validated by trained nutrition researchers. A modified pretrained sentence-Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers model was used to encode unstructured text from food labels into lower-dimensional vector representations, followed by supervised machine learning algorithms (i.e., elastic net, k-Nearest Neighbors, and XGBoost) for multiclass classification and regression tasks. ResultsPretrained language model representations utilized by the XGBoost multiclass classification algorithm reached overall accuracy scores of 0.98 and 0.96 in predicting food TRA major and subcategories, outperforming bag-of-words methods. For FSANZ score prediction, our proposed method reached a similar prediction accuracy (R2: 0.87 and MSE: 14.4) compared with bag-of-words methods (R2: 0.72–0.84; MSE: 30.3–17.6), whereas structured nutrition facts machine learning model performed the best (R2: 0.98; MSE: 2.5). The pretrained language model had a higher generalizable ability on the external test datasets than bag-of-words methods. ConclusionsOur automation achieved high accuracy in classifying food categories and predicting nutrition quality scores using text information found on food labels. This approach is effective and generalizable in a dynamic food environment, where large amounts of food label data can be obtained from websites.