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Food labels carry useful information to help you make informed choices about what you and your family eat and drink. Most packaged foods are required to have a label with this information, but the information required depends on the food type. The food label will tell you all sorts of information, including:
Some foods and drinks will have additional labelling requirements. Some foods that are unlabelled (for example fresh fruit and vegetables or foods bought where they are made, such as bread at a bakery) may still be provided but could be on display with the food or provided if you ask for it. Foods with a shelf life of less than 2 years must have a best-before or use-by date. These terms mean different things. The best-before date refers to food quality – food stored in the recommended way will remain of good quality until that date. Once the best-before date has passed, the food may still be safe to consume, but it may have lost some quality and nutritional value. Products with a best-before date can legally be sold after that date, provided the product is still fit for human consumption. Foods that should not be consumed after a certain date for health and safety reasons must have a use-by date. This means they cannot be sold after that date. You will find use-by dates on perishables such as meat, fish and dairy products. Baked product labelsBread is an exception to this rule as it can carry a ‘baked on’ or ‘baked for’ date if its shelf life is less than 7 days. This is so you can tell how fresh the food is. When is food okay to eat?The best way to tell whether food is safe to eat is to:
List of ingredients on food labelsAll ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, including added water. Remember:
What are compound ingredients?Some ingredients used in foods are called ‘compound ingredients’. These are ingredients made by a mixture of other ingredients. For example, chocolate (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar) or pasta (flour, egg, water). On food labels, the ingredient list must contain all ingredients including those that make up compound ingredients. For example, chocolate chip ice-cream lists the ingredients that make up ice-cream, but it also contains chocolate, so the ingredients that make up chocolate are listed too (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar). If an ingredient makes up less than 5% of the food, it does not have to be listed. Likewise, any compound ingredients that make up less than 5% of the product, can just be listed as the compound ingredient rather than all of its own ingredients – for example ‘chocolate’ (rather than cocoa, cocoa butter and sugar) in a chocolate chip ice cream. This 5% rule does not apply to any additive or allergen, including if they are part of a compound ingredient – these must be listed no matter how small the amount. Percentage labelling ingredients on food labelsMost packaged foods must show the percentage of the characterising ingredient(s) or component(s) of a food. For example, a jar of peanut butter might say 85% peanuts while another might be 100% peanuts. This information can be useful when comparing different products. The cocoa solids in chocolate is an example of a characterising component (for example 35% cocoa solids). Some foods do not have any characterising ingredients or components, such as cheese or white bread. How to read the ingredient list to choose healthier foodsThe Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends that we limit our intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. The ingredient list is a great place to start when choosing healthier foods. Keep in mind that manufacturers can use a variety of different ingredients or forms that may contribute fats, sugars and salt to products.
Food additivesAll food additives must have a specific use and be assessed and approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand . Food additives can be used to improve quality of a food or improve the flavour or appearance of a food. They must be used in the lowest possible quantity to achieve their purpose. Food additives are included in the ingredient list according to their class and (for example anti-caking agent). In most cases, a chemical name or food additive number will be listed after the class. Enzymes and most flavourings only need to list their class name:
The same food additive numbering system is used throughout the world. Vitamins and minerals are also listed under food additives. An alphabetical and a numbered food additives can be found on the FSANZ website. Unpackaged foods and foods in small packages (with a surface area of less than 100cm2) are not required to carry a list of ingredients and therefore, do not need to list any additives. Additives included in compound ingredients (that make up less than 5% of the food) do not have to be listed, unless the additives in the compound ingredient perform a specific purpose in the final product. However, any additive that is also an allergen, must be declared, regardless of quantity. The nutrition information panel tells you the quantity of various nutrients a food contains per serve, as well as per 100 g or 100 ml. Serving size is determined by the manufacturer and will often vary among products. They may not always reflect the amount typically eaten in one sitting (which can make a product appear less unhealthy). Under labelling laws introduced in Australia in 2003, virtually all manufactured foods must carry an NIP. There are exceptions to the labelling requirements, such as:
Nutrients listed in the NIPThe NIP provides information on 7 nutrients: Other nutrients such as fibre, potassium, calcium and iron may be listed in the NIP if a claim is made on the label. For example, if a food claims to be a ‘good source of calcium’, then the amount of calcium in the product must be listed in the NIP. Using the NIP to choose healthier productsNutrients are displayed in a standard format – amount per serve and per 100g (or 100ml if liquid). Another way to look at these numbers is to think of them as percentages. For example, 35g of sugar means the product contains 35% sugar. When comparing products, it’s best to use the ‘per 100g’ or ‘per 100ml’ value because serving size can differ between manufacturers. For example:
Nutrition claims on food labelsDon’t be misled, terms used by manufacturers are often misleading. For example:
Nutrition and health claims on food labels must meet guidelinesManufacturers can make various claims regarding the content of their product. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code Standard 1.2.7 Nutrition, health and related controls the use of content claims on food labels. Nutrition content claims make statements about certain nutrients or substances in a food (for example, ‘high in calcium’). For a manufacturer to make various claims, their products must meet various guidelines including:
Health claims can also be made about a food product and relate to a nutrient or substance in a food, and its effect on health. There are 2 types of health claims:
Voluntary labelling – Percentage Daily Intake (%DI) and Health Star Rating (HSR)Some manufacturers voluntarily display additional symbols related to the nutrition content of the product. Percentage Daily Intake (%DI) and Heath Star Rating (HSR symbols) are voluntary labelling systems. Although these symbols can be helpful when selecting foods, it is important to use them alongside other labelling (such as nutrition information panels and ingredient lists) as there may in fact be healthier alternatives that don’t use these labels. Percentage Daily Intake (%DI)Percentage Daily Intake (%DI) symbols display a product’s nutrient amount as one serving, and the percentage of an average adult’s requirements that it provides. These symbols display energy (kilojoules), and other nutrients (such as fat, saturated fat, sugars, sodium, carbohydrates, protein and a vitamin or mineral). Keep in mind, %DI is based on serving size. It can be difficult to use when comparing products because serving sizes vary as they are set by manufacturers. It is best to use the ‘per 100g’ or ‘per 100ml’ value in the nutrition information panel when comparing products. Also, %DI labelling can make some products seem healthier by presenting information based on smaller serving sizes than what would be typically consumed in one sitting. Health Star Rating (HSR) systemThe Health Star Rating (HSR) system is a government-led front-of-pack labelling system that rates the overall nutrition content of packaged food from ½ a star to 5 stars. The more stars a product has, the healthier it is. HSR labels either appear by themselves or along with specific nutritional information:
Many foods that should regularly be eaten as part of a healthy diet don’t use HSRs. This includes fresh fruit and vegetables, foods not intended to be eaten as is (such as flour) and others (such as tea, vinegar and those that don’t require NIPs). Allergens on food labelsFood labels are important for people with food allergies or intolerance. The main foods or ingredients that may cause severe adverse reactions must be declared on the label no matter how small the amount. Common foods that may cause allergies include: • soy. From May 2018, lupin must also be declared as an allergen. Gluten labellingGluten-containing cereals (such as wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt) also need to be declared on food labels for people with conditions (such as coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity). Manufacturers must adhere to strict requirements if labelling products as ‘gluten free’ or ‘low gluten’, as outlined in Standard 1.2.7 Nutrition, health and related . Other possible health risksLikewise, products containing sulphites at 10 or more mg/kg of food, must declare this on the label. There must also be information to alert people of a possible health risk from some ingredients – including, aspartame, quinine, caffeine, guarana, royal jelly, unpasteurised milk or egg. A full list of advisory and warning statement can be found on the FSANZ website. Any foods and ingredients derived from allergenic sources that have been assessed as safe for consumers who would otherwise be sensitive (such as glucose syrup made from wheat starch or soy derivatives) do not need to be declared on the label. A full list of are listed on the FSANZ website. ‘May contain’ labellingSome labels may also state ‘may contain’. This is because there is a possibility that traces of an allergen may be present in a food unintentionally – such as food processed on the same equipment as products that contain nuts. However, these are voluntary statements made by food manufacturers and are not regulated by FSANZ. Country of origin on food labelsSince 1 July 2018, country of origin labelling has fallen under the Australian Consumer Law rather than FSANZ. Under this law, most foods and drinks for retail sale must show country of origin details on their labels or on in-store packaging. This type of labelling depends on whether the product was grown, produced, made or packaged in Australia or overseas. It also depends on whether the food is a ‘priority’ or ‘non-priority’ and how it is displayed for sale.
Priority foodsMost foods are priority foods – including vegetables, fruit, meat, milk, seafood, bread, nuts, cereals, honey and juice. When priority foods are grown, produced or made in Australia, their country of origin labels will display a kangaroo in a green triangle and a bar chart which says what shows the proportion of the food is Australian. Only priority foods that are produced or grown using 100% Australian ingredients can use the produced or grown in Australia label. Imported foodsImported foods do not have to use the same country or origin labelling but like non-priority foods, must include a text statement about where the food was grown, produced, made or packaged. Some manufacturers will include other logos, symbols or statements such as ‘Proudly Australian owned’ but this is up to the manufacturer. They must be clear, accurate and truthful. Foods from cafes, restaurants, schools, takeaway shops and caterers do not have to show country of origin labelling. Other symbolsThere are a range of other symbols that manufacturers may include on products – some of which are standardised (but may or may not be regulated). Others are simply designed to capture your eye as a consumer. Some examples include Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) free, Glycaemic Index (GI), organic and free-range. Kilojoule (energy) labelling on unpackaged, ready-to-eat foodsFrom 1 May 2018, the Victorian Government requires large chain food businesses and supermarkets to display kilojoules (energy content) on:
Find out more about kilojoule labelling in . Where to get helpThis page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
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