Essential Question

1
Essential Question

• What is a food label?
• How can nutritional facts label help you make
  healthy choices?
• How do I process nutritional labels?

2
The History of Nutritional Labels

• Food label is a panel of nutrition information
  required on all processed foods regulated by the
  Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)
• Labels Required
• Bread, cereal, canned and frozen food, snacks,
  desserts, drinks, and etc.
• Labels on fresh fruits, vegetables, food served
  in restaurants, fresh meats, foods sold by
  vendors, bakery deli products are voluntary.

3
Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA) of 1990

• Required nutrition labeling for most foods by
  1994
• Exceptions meat, poultry, seafood, bulk foods,
  deli items
• Authorized use of nutrient content claims and FDA
• approved health claims.
• Purpose
• to make it easier for consumers to plan
  healthy diets.
• FDA rule on trans fats (2003)
• Required trans fat labeling on January 1, 2006

4
Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act
of 2006

• Requires complete ingredient label information on
  all major food allergens
• Milk
• Egg
• Wheat
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashew, walnuts)
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)

5
Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act
of 2006

• Ingredients are listed in terms that are
  understandable to the average consumer.
• If a product contains casein, a milk derived
  protein, the product's label must list the term
  "milk" in addition to the term "casein."

6
What to know about food labels

1. Nutrition facts
2. Serving size
3. Serving per container
4. Calories listing
5. Calories from fat
6. Percent daily value

7

• Nutrition facts title of information panel that
  is required on most foods.
• Serving size listing of the amount of food that
  is considered a serving.
• Servings per container listing of the number of
  servings in the container or package.
• Calories listing listing of the number of
  calories in one serving of the food.
• Calories from fat listing of the number of
  calories from fat in one serving of the food.
• Percent daily value portion of the daily amount
  of a nutrient provided by one serving of food.

8
How to be food label savvy

• CHECK THE DATES
• Sell By is the last date by which the product
  should be sold (although it can be stored past
  this date).
• Best If Used By is the date by which the
  product should be used to ensure quality.
• Expiration Date is the date after which the
  product should not be used.

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Front Label

• Nutrient Claims
• Fat Free, Low Fat High Fiber Sugar
  Free
• What do they mean?
• Health Claims
• Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol
  may
• reduce the risk of heart disease
• Only allowed if supported by scientific
  evidence.

10
Front Label

• Food Label Symbols
• Several different companies have them
• Overload to consumer confusing and
  complicated
• Examples
• AHA Heart Check Mark
• Kelloggs Diabetes Friendly Seal
• PepsiCo Smart Spot
• USDA looking for a universal system to make
  nutrient info on labels simpler.

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Food Health Claims

• Healthy A food product that must be low in fat,
  low in saturated fat, and have no more than 60 mg
  of cholesterol per serving
• Fat free A product that must have less than .5 g
  of fat per serving
• Low fat A food that must have 3 g of fat or less
  per serving
• Lean A product that must have less than 10 g of
  fat, 4.5 g of saturated fat, and no more than 95
  mg of cholesterol per serving
• Light A product that must have one-third the
  calories or no more than half the fat or sodium
  of the regular version
• Cholesterol free A product that must have less
  than 0.5 mg of cholesterol and 2 g of fat or less
  of saturated fat per serving

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5 Keys to Understandingthe Food Label

• 1. Front Label
• 2. Serving Size
• 3. Nutrient List
• 4. Percent Daily Value (DV)
• 5. Ingredient List

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Nutrition Labels

• Include
• Nutrition information per serving
• Percentage of Daily Values based on 2000 calories
  a day diet
• List of ingredients
• Presented from highest to lowest content

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• Understanding Food Labels
• http//www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id3908513n
• How to Read a Food Label Video
• http//www.oprah.com/health/How-to-Read-a-Food-Lab
  el-Video

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Ticket out the door