What’s on a label?
Learning IntentionTo investigate the benefits and shortcomings of food labeling.
We are learning to identify the different parts of a food label Success CriteriaI can identify who is responsible for food labeling in Australia and what food labels tell the consumer.
I can list the types of foods that need to be labeled and reasons why food labeling is good. Background information
One of the main goals of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is to ensure there is adequate information relating to food to allow consumers to make informed choices so that they can use the label to help select healthier foods and plan nutritious meals for themselves and their family. The Food Standards Code governs the information that relates to a food label.
The three main reasons for labelling food are to: • ensure public health and safety • provide adequate information for consumers to make informed choices •prevent deceptive and misleading information. What should be on a food label?
In Australia, food labels are subject to the following legal requirements in terms of what needs to be included and the clarify of the information:
Write down the above 12 items and next to it, write down an explanation of what it means. The link below will assist you. Activity.1. Explain what the country of origin label is
2. Why is it important to have this type of label on the product. 3. Write the meaning for the following 4 terms a. Grown in b. produce of c. produced in d. made in .4. What are the general rules for country of origin labelling for unpackaged foods. |
Food labelling
For some people, purchasing food involves rushing up and down the supermarket aisles, making quick decisions about what to put in their trolley. This can make studying food labels difficult. Because we lead such busy lives, we don’t want to have to spend time trying to ‘translate’ what it all means. However, for others, understanding and using the information on food labels is important.
Unlabelled foodsNot all foods have to be labelled. In fact, some of the healthiest foods may be unlabelled. These include fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, lentils, beans, fresh meat and fish. Examples include:
ActivityAnswer the following questions after watching the video.
1. What is the difference between "use by" and "best before" 2. Name three foods that will have a "use by" food. 3. Name three food that will have a "best before" date. 4. Why might a food not have neither? 5. Name three things that are always in the nutrition information panel. Why is this panel important? 6. Why is it important to compare foods using the "Quantity per 100g" column. How to read a food label poster!Stick your food label onto a sheet of poster paper. Annotate the food label, finding the key information listed. Draw a box around or underline each piece of information and explain what it is and why it is necessary.
Is there any other information on the label that is useful? What information isn't there? Can you think of a reason why it may not be present? |