Understanding Food Labels: A Guide to Making Informed Choices

Importance of Food Labels

Food labels provide essential information that helps consumers make informed choices about their diets. They include details such as ingredients, allergy information, and nutritional facts.

Key Information on Food Labels

The basic information on food labels includes:

• Energy: Measured in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcal)
• Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates: Measured in grams
• Fibre and Sodium: Amounts in grams
• Sugars: Percentage in carbohydrates
• Saturated Fats: Grams in total fats

Additional information on labels may include:

• Vitamins and Minerals: Shown as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
• Cholesterol and Other Nutrients

If a food contains genetically modified ingredients, it must be labelled accordingly by law.

Regulations and Standards

There are specific regulations regarding claims such as 'low fat' or 'reduced fat':

• Low Fat: Must not contain more than 3 grams of fat per 100 grams of food or 100 millilitres of liquid
• Reduced Fat: Should contain 25% less fat than a similar product
• Low Salt: Must contain no more than 40 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams of food

Many products now use a traffic light system to indicate nutritional levels clearly to consumers.

Enforcement and Compliance

Monitoring of food labels and enforcement of regulations are overseen by Trading Standards, Environmental Health Departments, and local authorities. Businesses must ensure their food labelling complies with all standards and regulations.