NEW REGULATION ON FOOD LABELING

The text covers two areas of labeling legislation: the general labeling of foodstuffs (Directive 2000/13 / EC) and nutrition labeling (90/496 / EEC)

The purpose of the legislator is to pursue a high level of health protection of consumers and ensure their right to information for consumers to make informed choices.

The regulation of this growing consumer interest in information on the food they buy is exactly applicable: composition, origin and nutritional qualities are the main aspects which defendants shortly, should be clear and easily identifiable on packages of food.

For your interest and need for outreach to the food industry, we present the directions issued by AINIA Technology Center.

The food industry must therefore adapt their packaging design processes to adapt to the new rules. So, in summary, the main constraints to be satisfied are:

• The letter of the labels should be large and legible. For example, for containers larger than 80 cm2 minimum font size shall be 1.2 mm high, and the lower size of 0.9 mm.
• You need to specify the origin of products, affecting especially meat products form. Country of provenance of the primary ingredient is also specified.
• Possible allergens should be clearly visible, using a different font, different color or is highlighted in bold.
• Dates of freezing and thawing. It should distinguish between "frozen", which will be mandatory for meat, unprocessed fishery products and meat products, and "thaw" in those products that have been thawed before putting them on sale.
• Mandatory nutrition labeling. Information on energy, saturated fat, carbohydrates, protein, sugars and salt should be indicated on a pooled basis and expressed as a portion. The label must also report recommended that each meal should consumiser, especially vitamins and minerals daily amount.
• The new law requires detailing what kind of vegetable oil contains: if sunflower, olive or palm. The presence of trans fats continue without indicated, pending the resolution in 2016.
• Foods that are apparently made of only one type of meat or fish, but they are the sum of several combined with other ingredients, should be specified. Specifically, are those sold under the name "Made from" and that should now include food additives, enzymes and proteins added if they have different animal.
• Additionally, you also need to specify if the product has been modified atmosphere packaging, or contains sweeteners, caffeine, glycyrrhizic acid or ammonium salt, phytosterol, etc.
• With regard to alcoholic drinks or alcopops more than 1.2% will have to specify the exact alcohol content. Alcoholic beverages containing more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, for the time being exempted from the obligation to provide for the nutritional information and ingredients list.
• Finally, and regarding the labeling of nanoingredients, will be compulsory indication on the ingredient list of all nanomaterials with feature ingredients present in the final product, followed by the word "nano". Nanomaterials those satisfying the direct or indirect function nanoingredients considered an ingredient.

Although several studies show that Spanish companies have long been striving to implement these regulatory considerations and are now prepared to successfully meet the new legislation, the fact is that there are many questions that still arise ... No However, knowing the rules governing this area enables product development and marketing more competitive and is perceived by the consumer as a factor that contributes to food safety and quality it acquires.

Sources:

• AECOSAN: http://aesan.msssi.gob.es/AESAN/web/cadena_alimentaria/detalle/futura_legislacion.shtml
• AINIA: http://actualidad.ainia.es/web/ainiaactualidad/seguridad-alimentaria/-/articulos/Tc1l/content/10-cambios-que-veremos-en-las-etiquetas-de-alimentos-a-partir-del-13-de-diciembre#.VD91G6WIgXk.twitter
• CHIL INDUSTRIA: http://www.chil.org/news/14728