Beginner's guide to understanding food labels

On most food packaging in New Zealand you will find a list of ingredients, a nutrition information panel and possibly some nutrition claims. These will help you make healthy choices about what you buy; they can be used to compare one product against another.

Here’s a breakdown of what each item on the label means

Other relevant nutrients

Other nutrients, such calcium or iron, will also be listed on the nutrition panel if a claim is made about them.

Ingredients

Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, starting with the largest amount first. If water makes up more than 5 per cent of the final product, it must also be listed as an ingredient. The amount of the key ingredient, eg, apricots in an apricot muesli bar, must be listed as a percentage of the total product. In some products, such as plain bread, there are no key ingredients.

How can you use this information?

Comparing products
Use the per 100g column to compare different products.

How much is a serving?
The serving size on the packet may be different from what you consider to be one serve - check it out!

Compare these products

Test yourself

1. How many biscuits is a serving of sweet biscuits?
2. How many servings are in the packet of sweet biscuits?
3. How many crackers make up one serve of wheat crackers?
4. How much fat is in one serve of sweet biscuits?
5. How much fat is in one serve of wheat crackers?
6. If you ate 6 crackers, how many serves is that?
7. If you were to eat 6 crackers, how many grams of fat would that be?
8. Per 100g, which product has the most sugar?
9. Per 100g, which product has the most fat? 
10.  If you were having 1 serve of each product, which would have the most sugar? 
11.  Which would have the most energy?
12. What is the main ingredient in the wheat crackers?

Answers at bottom of page

Additives

Natural or synthetic food additives must also be identified no matter how small the amount used. People who are sensitive to additives need to be aware of what has been added to their food, so food additives must be listed by both their name and code, eg, food acid 331.

Allergens

Any ingredient that’s known to cause severe allergic reactions in some people, eg, nuts, seafood, milk, eggs, soybeans, must be declared on the label, even if there is only a very small amount in the product. Some food labels must also contain an advisory or warning statement if the food contains a substance that has associated health risks that people may not be aware of, eg, the bee product, royal jelly, which can cause severe reactions in people with asthma.

Many manufacturers also voluntarily print a warning that there may be traces of some allergens in food, even if they’re not listed in the ingredients. This is usually because those allergens are used in other products made in the same factory.

Genetically-modified (GM) foods

Any genetically modified foods or ingredients must be identified on the label with the words 'genetically modified'. Also, any foods that have been irradiated must be identified.

Symbols

Food packaging may also display a symbol or stamp from an organisation to highlight particular nutritional information.
The Heart Foundation Tick, for example, signposts healthier food choices within a wide range of food categories. 
But remember to check the nutritional label to be sure the food has what the nutrients you require.

Foods displaying a ‘Glycaemic Index (GI) Tested’ symbol have been evaluated for their effects on blood sugar levels. Foods that have a low GI tend to raise your blood sugar levels less than medium or high-GI foods, and eating these low-GI foods can help control diabetes and may help with weight loss. All foods that display this symbol (whether they are low, medium or high GI) are generally a good nutritional choice for that food group.

‘Use By’ and ‘Best Before’ dates

‘Use by’ dates are displayed on packaged foods that must be consumed before a certain date for health reasons. It’s not safe to eat such foods once the use-by date has passed. A ‘best before’ date can be found on products with a shelf life of less than 2 years; after this date, the product may lose some of its nutritional value or quality, but it may still be safe to eat.

Storage requirements

Packaging should also display information on how to store the product (eg, store in a cool, dry place)so it remains safe until its use-by or best-before date.

Not all foods need a nutritional label

Most food for sale in New Zealand must be clearly labelled in English. Manufacturers are not required to display a nutrition information label on some foods, including:

• food packaged in the presence of the purchaser
• food made and packaged on the premises from which it is sold
• food ready to eat delivered food
• whole or cut fresh fruit and vegetables in transparent packages
• food sold at a fundraising event
• food not in a package
• food in an inner package not designed for sale without the outer package
• many healthy foods — including fresh fruit and vegetables — are among those that are not labeled.

Test answers

2,8,3, 4.6g, 3.5g, 2, 7g, sweet biscuits, wheat biscuits, sweet biscuits, sweet biscuits, wheat flour.