Food Labeling

What Is Food Labeling?

When thinking about food labeling what comes to mind? A sticker on a food product that has some sort of nutritional value printed on it, right? Well you would be correct. The definition of a food label is “a panel on a food package which contains a variety of information about the food item.” (Business Dictionary) These labels include calories, serving sizes, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The food label is the first thing some consumers look at when grocery shopping, hoping that said food item meets their dietary requirements. The food label is not only broke down into sections but

those sections also tell you how much of something you should or shouldn’t have.

This food label is an example from a box of Macaroni & Cheese. Paying attention to serving size is important, because many times we eat more than what is allotted. The number of servings you consume of said item equates to the amount of calories you have eaten. This can be found in “section” two of the food label. The “sections” labeled three and four describe the items in the food product you should try to stay away from, and those you should try to eat more of.

Food Labeling in the United States

As we know all food labels are on the back of food products. That is a standard with food products. The distributor and product name goes on the front of the package. The FDA wants labels to be clearly visible and easy to read. There are fourteen kinds of food that require some kind of labeling. Here a few; foods manufactured by small businesses, dietary supplements, certain brands of eggs (egg cartons), and game meats. All must meet requirements put in place by the FDA and explain their nutritional facts. One controversial topic that comes up is the idea of labeling Genetically Modified Foods (GMO’s). Currently Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut require all GMO’s to be labeled. The Vermont Law lets consumers know what is in their food, but critics believe the information could confuse people as well as cost a lot to make. (Huffington Post) “The WHO says GM Foods currently available … have passed assessments and have no health risks” (Huffington Post) The American Medical Association says that these labels do not meet guidelines for FDA “science-based” labeling. Groups feel the cost of adding these labels will raise prices of foods, affecting the consumer.  Although others advocate that they would prefer to know where their food comes from, and is okay with the price hikes. Kevin Folta an independent GMO expert says that adding the labels will still not give consumers enough information about their foods. Therefore the controversy carries on, the question asked today is will the labels be added or will people accept the non-labeled products.

Food Labeling in France

Labeling in France was made official by a law in 2002 stating that labels not only be in French but in other languages that seem fit. All labels used should be legible and be a correct representation of the product, in all languages. Just like in the United States they should be easily seen on packaging and not abbreviated. French food labels have “product definition, shelf life, use by date, sell by date, and storage requirements. (eFrance) They also make sure that all additives and preservatives are added on their packaging. The EU has three main categories; authorization, labeling, and trace-ability. A well-known slogan is from “the seed to the fork”.  Overall the European Commission must decide what foods get labeled. France has six different types of labels when it comes to food, all meeting a different set of requirements. France must also include allergens on labels. In 2013 a commission was granted by the European Parliament to oversee labeling and mandatory regulation of production of products. France as well as the EU seem to have a handle on their food labeling and what their consumers what / need. 

Website Links / Sources:

1.       http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/food-label.html

2.       http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm

3.       http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064894.htm

4.       http://www.huffingtonpost.com/teen-vogue/why-the-new-gmo-foodlabel_b_9738698.html

5.       https://www.export.gov/article?id=France-Labeling-Marking-Requirements

6.       https://lacuisineparis.com/blog/understanding-french-food-labels

7.       http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/labelling_legislation_en