Food labeling: we are what we eat, and the consumer wants to know it
Food labeling: we are what we eat, and the consumer wants to know it
One of the most important parts of food packaging is the label. Just a few square centimeters of paper whose mission will be to provide all the information necessary to know what we are buying: its origin, its type of conservation, the ingredients that make it up, the nutrients that they provide to our body, etc. 7 out of 10 people consult the labeling of food products always or almost always.
You might think it's those over 55 who read food labels the most. But it is quite the opposite, youth are more interested than ever in knowing what they are putting in their mouths.
In this sense, nutritional information, and fundamentally fats, sugars, and calories, is where they pay the most attention. They also do it in the list of ingredients and in fact, three out of ten consumers stop buying a product because it has a specific ingredient.
Among the mandatory information that must be presented on food labels is:
Name: explain what is being offered so that we know at all times what it is about. It must include the legal name of the food. If it does not exist, the usual or descriptive name is used.
Ingredients: as simple, and complicated at the same time, as offering a detailed list of all the substances that appear in its composition. A curiosity: the ingredients must appear in order from greater to lesser presence in the product. So, if in your next purchase you see, for example, that sugar appears first, you already know what the main ingredient of that product is.
Allergens: Undoubtedly of great relevance. All the substances used in the manufacture and present in the products that cause allergies or intolerances must appear.
Net quantity: depending on whether it is liquid or solid, it will be expressed in liters, centiliters, milliliters, kilograms or grams.
Expiration dates: this is one of the issues that raises the most doubts among consumers. Is the expiration date the same as preferred consumption? Well no. It is not the same. The shelf life is the date until which the food retains its properties: best before...; followed by the day/month/year or best before the end of...; followed by month/year or only year. The expiration date appears on highly perishable products, such as fresh fish or minced meat: “expiration date…” followed by theday/month and possibly the year.
Conservation and use: if the food must be conserved in a special and specific way: cold, away from light sources... it must be indicated on the label.
Company: name or business name and address of the food company. Instructions: it must be indicated in a way that allows an appropriate use of the food; in case it would be difficult without this information.
Alcohol: in drinks that have more than 1.2%, the volume of alcohol is indicated with this abbreviation: % vol.
Nutritional information: a very important part, if not the most, is the nutritional information. This refers to its energy value and certain nutrients, the amounts of fats, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, and salt. At C&H Letterpress we are specialists in the manufacture of food packaging, at C&H Letterpress we are clear that making an attractive and functional design is a priority, but food safety is even more so. Hence the importance of choosing a specialized manufacturer with experience in this type of work. If you want to create the packaging of your food or beverage product with all the guarantees, contact us November 20 2022|Emilia Piedra Donoso.
Conservation and use: if the food must be conserved in a special and specific way: cold, away from light sources... it must be indicated on the label.
Company: name or business name and address of the food company. Instructions: it must be indicated in a way that allows an appropriate use of the food; in case it would be difficult without this information.
Alcohol: in drinks that have more than 1.2%, the volume of alcohol is indicated with this abbreviation: % vol.
Nutritional information: a very important part, if not the most, is the nutritional information. This refers to its energy value and certain nutrients, the amounts of fats, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, and salt. At C&H Letterpress we are specialists in the manufacture of food packaging, at C&H Letterpress we are clear that making an attractive and functional design is a priority, but food safety is even more so. Hence the importance of choosing a specialized manufacturer with experience in this type of work. If you want to create the packaging of your food or beverage product with all the guarantees, contact us November 20 2022|Emilia Piedra Donoso.