Nutritional labeling
Under nutrition labeling refers to the statement of the average nutritional value of food packaging. Your information is mandatory in the member states of the EU , and thus also z. B. in Germany. It is a standardized label (see illustration). You can find them on almost all packaged foods. The nutrition labeling must be applied in the form of the "Big Seven". The basis is Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on consumer information about food . Since December 14, 2016, nutritional labeling has been mandatory for all packaged and loose foods - with a few exceptions. The nutrition labeling is an integral part of the food information regulation .
Scope and design of the nutritional labeling
The "Big Seven" are: (each per 100 g or 100 ml):
- Energy content at least in kilo joules
-
fat
- of which saturated fatty acids
-
carbohydrates
- of which sugar
- protein
- salt
In the regulation these terms are specified as follows: All lipids are counted under fat . Sugar is understood to mean monosaccharides and disaccharides . With protein, the protein content is actually meant. This is calculated using the following formula: protein = total nitrogen (according to Kjeldahl) × 6.25.
Vitamins and other nutritional values (e.g. fiber , minerals) must also be specified if they are highlighted on the packaging. Although dietary fiber is a carbohydrate, in the EU - unlike, for example, in the USA - it is not considered part of it. In the EU nutrition labeling, dietary fiber has been assigned a calorific value that is about half as high as that of carbohydrates.
Mandatory information must be printed in at least 1.2 mm font - based on the small "x".
The information on the nutritional labeling are average values and are subject to certain natural and production-related fluctuations.
Legal information on nutrition labeling
Nutritional and health-related statements are subject to Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 (Health Claims) (Health Claims Regulation). According to this "Health Claims Regulation", this information may only be used if it is included in a positive list of the EU. The list currently contains 222 health-related claims that have been checked by EFSA and approved as applicable. ( Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012 )
Example: Rye - fiber "contributes to normal intestinal function" if the ready-to-eat food has a high fiber content (= at least 6 g fiber per 100 g).
Exceptions to nutrition labeling
Exceptions to the mandatory nutrition labeling are listed in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 in Annex V. Paragraph 19 is of particular importance for direct marketers and small producers such as handicraft businesses, farm shops, small businesses, market traders, etc. Their products are exempt from the nutritional labeling requirement.
"ANNEX V - FOOD EXCLUDED FROM THE MANDATORY NUTRITION DECLARATION [...] 19. Food, including artisanal food, which is directly supplied in small quantities from products by the manufacturer to the final consumer or to local retail outlets that supply the products directly hand over to the end user. "
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 25, 2011 regarding consumer information about food (LMIV)
- ↑ Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of December 20, 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods in the consolidated version of November 29, 2012 .
- ↑ Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012 of May 16, 2012 laying down a list of permitted health-related claims about food other than information about reducing the risk of illness and the development and health of children - list of all permitted health claims
literature
- Friedrich Senser, Heimo Scherz, Eva Kirchhoff (eds.): The little souci specialist herb . Food table for practice. Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-8047-2037-4 .
- Wolfgang Voit, Mark Grube: Food Information Regulation . Comment. Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-406-64741-3 .
