Food labeling - nutrition

In order to ensure adequate communication and optimize the customer selection process at the time of purchasing food, labeling is established. The label is a document that has indications, mentions, trademarks, illustrations or signs, linked to the food product, is located on the package, band or collar attached to the product.

In the case of food, labeling is a useful source of information for choosing and buying. It includes the name of the food, the quantity, the list of ingredients, and other data regarding its manufacture, such as processing date, expiration date or suggested use-by date, lot number and manufacturer's address. It also states the serving size of the package and, not least, the nutritional information.

Labels may also present warnings, and health messages or nutritional messages. Examples: "low fat" or "low sodium", of course, such statements must match scientifically approved definitions. Health messages on food labels, such as "low cholesterol" or "low blood pressure" must also be verified.

List of mandatory label statements:

• Name of the food: this shall be its legal designation. In the absence of a specific designation, the designation will be the normal one, or, in the last case of non-existence, a descriptive designation will be provided. If the information is not sufficient to really know the food and differentiate it from other similar foods, the designation shall be completed with another descriptive text.

• In the country of commercialization: the use of the designation of the food under which the product is originally manufactured and traded is acceptable. In other words, the designation of the producing country shall be respected.

• The list of ingredients: shall be warned or preceded by an appropriate title stating "ingredients". Any ingredient or adjuvant that may result in allergies or intolerances and is used in the manufacture or processing of a food, and remains in force in the finished product, even if modified, shall be shown in the list of ingredients accompanied by a clear reference to the designation of the potentially harmful substance or product.

The quantity of certain ingredients or of certain categories of ingredients is required to show the quantity of an ingredient or of a category of ingredients when:

• It models in the designation or is regularly associated by the consumer with that designation.

• It is emphasized in the labeling via words, pictures or graphic representation.

• It is essential to detail a food and to differentiate it from others with which it could be confused by its designation or image.

The net quantity of the food: it shall be stated in units of volume, liter [l or l], centiliters [cl], and milliliters [ml], for liquid products, or in units of mass, kilograms [kg] and grams [g], for others.

Expiration date: After its "use by date", the food should not be consumed. The "use by date" is declared in conjunction with the date itself or a reference to the place where it is indicated, and the information may be supplemented by a description of the storage conditions. The date shall consist of a clear and orderly indication of day, month and possibly year.

Date of minimum durability: it will be formulated through the following mentions, accompanied by the date itself or the indication of the place where it is located, and if necessary, the storage conditions to be observed to ensure the ideal duration:

• "best before....", when the date includes the day.

• "best before the end of ....", in all other cases.

Special storage conditions and/or conditions of use: It will be shown if the food requires special storage conditions and/or conditions of use. In order to ensure proper preservation and use, once the package is opened, the conditions and/or expiry date for consumption shall be shown.

Identification of the company: shall present the name or business name and address of the food business under whose name or name the food is marketed or, if not established in the European Union, the importer of the food into the European Union market.

The country of origin or place of provenance shall be compulsory when:

• Its inadvertence could mislead the consumer as to the country of origin or place of provenance of the food, specifically, if the information accompanying the food or the label as a whole could suggest that the food has a different country of origin or place of provenance.

• Be meat of the codes of the combined nomenclature.

The manner of use whenever omitting this information would make it difficult to make effective use of the food.

Beverages containing more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, the alcoholic strength by volume should be given.

Lot: shows the units of sale of a food product produced, manufactured or packaged under similar conditions. The lot shall be preceded by the letter l.

Nutritional information: expressed per 100 grams [grams] or 100 milliliters [ml]. They may be expressed per serving or per unit of consumption, in the event that the serving or unit is stated quantitatively on the label, and the number of servings contained in the container is disclosed.

In the same way, they may be explained as a percentage of the reference intakes, including the legend <,< ingesta de referencia de un adulto medio equivalente a 8400 kilo joule o lo que es lo mismo 2000 kilocalorías >,>, in this case, they may be expressed only per serving or per unit of consumption.

The unavoidable nutritional information will contemplate the following factors:

• Energy value.

• Quantities of fats, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt.

The indication of the quantity of one or several of the following substances may be integrated:

• monounsaturated fatty acids.

• polyunsaturated fatty acids.

• Polyalcohols.

• Starch.

• Dietary fiber.

• Any vitamin or mineral in significant amounts.

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