Download Cereal Lite - European Commission

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
How to read
Flakes of rice and whole wheat, enriched with
vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, B12, C) and iron
Net weight:
1
2
Quantity
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Name of
the product
INGREDIENTS
3
List of
ingredients
BEST BEFORE
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Rice, 30% wheat, (whole
wheat, wheat flour), sugar,
gluten flour, milk powder, salt,
low-fat wheat germ, aroma of
malt barley, vitamins (C, B3,
B6, B2, B1, folic acid B12), iron.
Allergy Information
Composed of milk, wheat
and barley.
4
5
Durability
Manufacturer/
importer
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QUALITY GUARANTEE:
SATISFACTION OR YOUR
MONEY BACK.
Crunchy product Info
Tel 0800 14563
address: BP2000 Evere 3
1140 Evere BELGIQUE
500g
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Breakfast is the
most important
meal of the day.
6
7
Made in Germany
Protein
Carbohydrate
- of which sugars
Fat
- of which
saturates
Fibre
Sodium
Vitamin C
Thiamin B1
Riboflavin B2
Niacin B3
Vitamin B6
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Iron
1603 kJ
376 kcal
15 g
75 g
17 g
1.5 g
0.5 g
6g
0.85 g
40 mg
1.1 mg
0.9 mg
10 mg
1.5 μg
150 μg
0.75 μg
10 mg
* Recommended Daily Allowance
66
78
56
56
75
75
75
71
Origin
8
Nutritional
information
9
Nutrition
and health
claims
per 100g RDA (%) *
Energy
Organic
Food Labelling under EU Law
The European Union (EU)
establishes labelling rules for
foodstuffs to help all European
consumers
make
informed
purchasing decisions. The rules are
designed to ensure that you have
comprehensive information on
the food products you buy.
Apart from the legally required
information, producers are free
to provide whatever additional
information they wish, as long as
it is accurate and does not mislead
the consumer. There are labelling
rules common to all foodstuffs,
as well as specific rules for meat,
alcohol and perishable foods.
1. Quantity:
net quantity of the
product in volume
for liquids (e.g. litre,
centilitre) and in mass
for other products.
2. Name of the
Product:
must include
­i n fo r m a t i o n
about the physical
condition of the
foodstuff or the specific treatment
it has undergone (powdered, frozen,
concentrated, smoked, etc.).
Ionising treatment must always be
mentioned, if used.
How to read
3. List of
Ingredients:
all ingredients
must be listed
in descending
order of weight
(exception: mixtures
of fruit or vegetables)
including those known to trigger
reactions in allergic individuals (e.g.
peanuts, milk, eggs, fish).
The percentage of an ingredient must
be indicated when it is emphasised
in the presentation of the product,
such as in the name of the product
or images on the pack.
Labelling is mandatory for products
that have a GMO content. All
ingredients of GMO origin must
be mentioned with the words
“genetically modified” in the list of
ingredients.
4. Durability:
the "use by" and
"best before" dates
indicate how long
food will stay fresh
and be safe to eat.
• "Use by" is used
for food that
spoils quickly (e.g.
meat, eggs, dairy products). All packaged
fresh products bear a "use by" date. You
should not consume products after the
"use by" date since that could result in
food poisoning.
• "Best before" is used on food that can
be kept longer (e.g. cereals, rice, spices).
It is not dangerous to eat a product after
this date, but the food may begin to lose
its flavour and texture.
a label
5. Manufacturer / Importer:
the name and address of the manufacturer, packager or importer must
be clearly listed on the packaging so that you know who to contact if
you have a claim or wish to get additional information on the product.
6. Organic:
the use of the wording "organic" on labels is strictly regulated
under EU law. It is only allowed in reference to specific methods
of food production which comply with high standards regarding
the protection of the environment and the welfare of animals.
The European logo "Organic farming — EC Control System" may
only be used by producers fulfilling the required conditions.
7. Origin:
indicating the country or region of origin is compulsory for certain
categories of products such as beef or veal, eggs, fish, honey, fruit
and vegetables. It is also mandatory if the brand name or other
elements on the labels, such as a picture, a flag, or a reference to
a place, could mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the
product.
8. Nutritional Information:
describes the energy value and
nutrients of a foodstuff (e.g.
protein, fat, fibre, sodium,
vitamins and minerals).
This information must
be given when a nutrition claim is made concerning the product (see
point 10) or when vitamins
or minerals are added.
9. Nutrition and Health Claims:
there are EU rules to ensure that any claims about health
or nutritional values on food packages are truthful and
based on scientific facts.
Claims such as "low fat" or "high fibre" must comply with
harmonised definitions so that they mean the same thing
in all EU countries; for instance, "high fibre" can only be used
for products containing at least 6g of fibre per 100g. Food products
with a lot of fat or sugar may not be labelled with claims such as "contains vitamin C".
Health claims such as "calcium builds stronger bones" are only allowed if they can be scientifically demonstrated. Attaching a positive health claim to a product which contains
too much salt, fat or sugar is not permitted. The following health claims are prohibited:
• Claims to prevent, treat or cure a human disease;
• Claims which make reference to the rate or amount of weight loss;
• Reference to or endorsement by individual doctors;
• Claims which suggest that health could be affected by not consuming the food.
If a food additive has an E number, this
shows that it has passed safety tests and
been approved for use throughout the EU.
This approval is monitored, reviewed and
amended in the light of new scientific data.
Some common food additives are listed
below:
• Antioxidants make foods last longer by
helping to prevent the fats, oils and certain
vitamins from combining with oxygen in the
air. Oxidation is what makes food become
rancid and lose colour. Example: vitamin C,
also called ascorbic acid or E300.
•C
olours are sometimes used to replace the
natural colour lost during food processing
or storage, or to make products a consistent
colour. Example: caramel (E150a), used in
products such as gravy and soft drinks.
•E
mulsifiers, stabilisers, gelling agents and
thickeners emulsifiers such as Lecithins
(E322), help mix together ingredients that
would normally separate, such as oil and
water. Stabilisers help stop ingredients that
have been combined from separating again.
One common gelling agent is pectin (E440),
which is used to make jam. Thickeners help
give body to food in the same way that
adding flour thickens a sauce.
• Flavour enhancers bring out the flavour in
savoury and sweet foods without adding a
flavour of their own. Example: Monosodium
Glutamate (E621) is often added to processed
foods, especially soups, sauces and sausages.
• Preservatives help prevent food from
spoiling. Most food that has a long shelflife includes preservatives, unless another
preservation method has been used, such as
freezing, canning or drying. Examples: dried
fruit is often treated with sulphur dioxide
(E220) to stop mould or bacteria from
growing, and bacon, ham, corned beef and
other ‘cured’ meats are often treated with
nitrite and nitrate (E249 to E252) during the
curing process.
• Sweeteners are often used instead of sugar
in products such as fizzy drinks, yoghurt and
chewing gum. Examples: aspartame (E951),
saccharin (E954), acesulfame-K (E950) and
sorbitol (E420).
Further Information
Food labelling on the Health and Consumers DG website
http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/labellingnutrition/foodlabelling/index_en.htm
Organic farming on the Agriculture DG website
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/qual/organic/index_en.htm
Questions about Europe? Get in touch with us
http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm
© European Communities, 2007
Reproduction is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.
Directorate-General for Health and Consumers
European Commission – B-1049 Brussels
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm
This document has been financed by the European Commission under a contract with the company Qwentes KANTOR. It is intended for
information purposes only and does not constitute official guidance from the Commission on the interpretation of EU laws or policies.
ND-77-07-268-EN-D
Understanding E Numbers