NUTRIENT LABELLING TO COMMUNICATE HEALTHY FOOD

With Globalization man has achieved leisure, entertainment, handiness and comfort but has paid for it in terms of Health. There was a time that certain diseases were limited for particular age group only but now the present scenario suggests no boundaries. From Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes to Cancers and Osteoarthritis.

On the other hand it’s also true that people have started becoming ‘Health conscious’ and are trying to be meticulous in maintaining their lifestyle and keeping an account of what they eat.

Initially nutrient labeling was strictly practiced in foreign countries, now our Indian Government has also made an initiative on mass scale so that people are well aware about consumption and maintenance of good Health.

FDA has made certain rules to be followed for any manufacturing company for processing their products. To list a few mandatory information on the labels of consumer goods

1. Amount of Nutrition- in terms of calories present and other individual nutrients like Carbohydrates, Fat (Saturated/ Trans), Proteins, Sugars, Vitamins, Iron.
2.  Warning on allergens viz ‘’may contain nuts as well’’, ‘contains Caffeine’’, ‘Unpasteurized’’
3. Manufacturing date, Expiry date/Best before
4. Ingredients in brief
5. Method of preparation
6. Company and Place of manufacture
7. Additives (flavoring agents), colors, added sugars
   

Also includes Nutrition information panel (NIP) where in the Nutrition it requires are exhibited in a column for Consumer convenience.

• Serving sizes in grams per container
• Number of servings
• Percentage of daily intake
• Amount of dietary components like Sugar, fat, Carbohydrates, Salt.

Eye striking tagging are those products that come with exciting claims like

•  Low fat food
• Skimmed milk/pasteurized milk
• No added sugars
• Fiber rich
• Gluten free, Fat free
• Zero trans fats
• Vegan food

This in turn helps Purchaser to make a right preference and maintain a Healthy living. These practices in a way help population to be guided for right nutrition for good health. So it becomes an individual responsibility to choose products only after reading its label.

‘’READ RIGHT NUTRITION, IMPART HEALTHY NUTRITION’’