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Menu labeling is a strategy to promote healthier food choices in restaurants. This study aimed to analyze the influence of a qualitative menu labeling on the healthfulness of diners' food choices in self-service buffet restaurants. A controlled quasi-experiment comparing parallel groups at baseline and intervention periods was conducted in a control restaurant and an intervention restaurant. Qualitative labels provided information on the name and ingredients list of the dish, highlighting the use of organic vegetables. The same food menu was served in both restaurants. Menu labeling was implemented at the intervention restaurant for six dishes each day, three considered healthier and three less healthy. Dishes were weighed at the beginning and at the end of the service to estimate the average portion size (g) of diners, during five consecutive days at baseline and intervention. Diners who had lunch at the intervention restaurant were invited to participate in a survey on the use of menu labels. Of the 153 interviewed diners, 31% reported noticing menu labels. Of these, 57% said menu labeling had influenced their food choices at the restaurant. No changes in portion sizes were observed between baseline and intervention periods within control and intervention restaurants. However, it was found that the provision of qualitative menu labeling sparked the interest of restaurant managers in improving meal quality and modifying recipes to eliminate ultra-processed ingredients. Thus, the implementation of the proposed menu labeling model can promote healthier food choices through the reformulation of culinary recipes. However, it is essential to adopt strategies to enable its direct impact., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to compare the level of processing (as assessed by the NOVA classification) and the nutritional quality (as assessed by nutrition values, Nutri-Score and NutrInform battery) of breakfast cereals currently on the Italian market. A total of 349 items were found, mostly belonging to the NOVA 4 group (66.5%) and to Nutri-Score C and A (40% and 30%, respectively). The NOVA 4 products showed the highest energy, total fat, saturates, and sugar content per 100 g and had the highest number of items with Nutri-Score C (49%) and D (22%). Conversely, NOVA 1 products had the highest content of fibre and protein, the lowest amounts of sugars and salt, and 82% of them were Nutri-Score A, while few Nutri-Score B and C were found. Differences were attenuated when products were compared for their NutrInform battery, with NOVA 4 items showing only slightly fuller batteries for saturated fats, sugar, and salt than NOVA 1 and NOVA 3 products. Overall, these results suggest that the NOVA classification partially overlaps with systems based on the nutritional quality of foods. The lower nutritional quality of NOVA 4 foods may at least partially explain the association found between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and the risk of chronic diseases.

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies represent a major global health issue, with over 2 billion individuals experiencing deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. Food labels provide consumers with information regarding the nutritional content of food items and have been identified as a potential tool for improving diets. However, due to governmental regulations and the physical limitations of the labels, food labels often lack comprehensive information about the vitamins and minerals present in foods. As a result, information about most of the micronutrients is absent from existing food labels., Objective: This paper aims to examine the possibility of using machine learning algorithms to predict unreported micronutrients such as vitamin A (retinol), vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), vitamin K, and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, manganese, and copper from nutrition information provided on existing food labels. If unreported micronutrients can be predicted with acceptable accuracies from existing food labels using machine learning predictive models, such models can be integrated into mobile apps to provide consumers with additional micronutrient information about foods and help them make more informed diet decisions., Methods: Data from the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) data set, representing a total of 5624 foods, were used to train a diverse set of machine learning classification and regression algorithms to predict unreported vitamins and minerals from existing food label data. For each model, hyperparameters were adjusted, and the models were evaluated using repeated cross-validation to ensure that the reported results were not subject to overfitting., Results: According to the results, while predicting the exact quantity of vitamins and minerals is shown to be challenging, with regression R 2 varying in a wide range from 0.28 (for magnesium) to 0.92 (for manganese), the classification models can accurately predict the category ("low," "medium," or "high") level of all minerals and vitamins with accuracies exceeding 0.80. The highest classification accuracies for specific micronutrients are achieved for vitamin B12 (0.94) and phosphorus (0.94), while the lowest are for vitamin E (0.81) and selenium (0.83)., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of predicting unreported micronutrients from existing food labels using machine learning algorithms. The results show that the approach has the potential to significantly improve consumer knowledge about the micronutrient content of the foods they consume. Integrating these predictive models into mobile apps can enhance their accessibility and engagement with consumers. The implications of this research for public health are noteworthy, underscoring the potential of technology to augment consumers' understanding of the micronutrient content of their diets while also facilitating the tracking of food intake and providing personalized recommendations based on the micronutrient content and individual preferences., (©Rouzbeh Razavi, Guisen Xue. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 12.04.2023.)

In the last two decades, India has witnessed a dramatic rise in the consumption of packaged foods, especially among adolescents. Food labelling is often recognised as an instrumental population-based approach which can enable consumers to make informed food choices by providing all the necessary details about the food product on the packaging. In the Indian context, where adolescent obesity and the ensuing non-communicable diseases are escalating, it is crucial to understand adolescents' views on the use of non-nutritious packaged foods and food labels. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative inquiry was to explore Indian adolescents' perceptions regarding the consumption of packaged food and use of food labels. Convenience sampling was employed to recruit 29 boys and 15 girls (aged 10-19 years) from rural Varanasi, India. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted in the local language. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and translated to English. Narrative data were subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo software program. The adolescents reported frequent consumption of packaged food like potato chips, biscuits, chocolates, deep-fried Indian snacks both at school and home. Packaged foods were regarded as tasty, safe, and fresh. Brand name, date of expiry and cost were often read by the study respondents. Nevertheless, they reported difficulty in understanding other components of the label (e.g., nutrition information) and they were not aware of the negative impact of consuming unhealthy packaged foods. Nearly all the respondents insisted that food labels should be written in the local language for easy understanding. These emerging findings underscore the need to design school-based food literacy programs for vulnerable Indian adolescents to address obesity and diet-related complications in early adulthood., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this research article., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, the current study elucidates the impact and efficacy of food labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards the selection of nutritional food. Secondly, the inefficacy of labels in developing consumers' attitudes and intentions towards healthy packaged food selection is demonstrated. The supportive theories of the current model are those of reasoned action and protection motivation. The data of 797 respondents have been collected from four major grocery stores in Pakistan. The structural equation model has been employed for the analysis of data. The results indicate that the efficacy of food labels has a positive significant effect on attitudes towards familiar and unfamiliar foods. In contrast to this, inefficacy in labelling has shown a positive significant effect on familiar foods but is insignificant for unfamiliar foods. The user-friendly food labels significantly affect unfamiliar foods in terms promoting consumer attitudes. Reciprocally, the inefficacy of labels creates a hindrance to the reading of unfamiliar labels while purchasing food items. The study findings reveal the fact that food label information and its format influences consumer attitudes and intentions at the point of purchase.

To reduce obesity and thus promote healthy food choices, front-of-pack (FOP) labels have been introduced. Though FOP labels help identify healthy foods, their impact on actual food choices is rather small. A newly developed so-called swipe task was used to investigate whether the type of label used (summary vs. nutrient-specific) had differential effects on different operationalizations of the "healthier choice" measure (e.g., calories and sugar). After learning about the product offerings of a small online store, observers ( N = 354) could, by means of a swipe gesture, purchase the products they needed for a weekend with six people. Observers were randomly assigned to one of five conditions, two summary label conditions (Nutri-Score and HFL), two nutrient (sugar)-specific label conditions (manga and comic), or a control condition without a label. Unexpectedly, more products (+7.3 products)-albeit mostly healthy ones-and thus more calories (+1732 kcal) were purchased in the label conditions than in the control condition. Furthermore, the tested labels had different effects with respect to the different operationalizations (e.g., manga reduced sugar purchase). We argue that the additional green-labeled healthy products purchased (in label conditions) "compensate" for the purchase of red-labeled unhealthy products (see averaging bias and licensing effect).

Objectives: To test the efficacy of calorie labelling for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on restaurant menus on noticing calorie information, calorie knowledge, and perceived and actual influence on hypothetical beverage orders., Methods: Participants included upper-level university students of legal drinking age residing in Ontario, Canada (n = 283). Using a between-groups experiment, participants were randomized to view one of two menus: (1) No Calorie Information (control), and (2) Calorie Information adjacent to each beverage. Participants completed a hypothetical ordering task, and measures related to noticing calorie information, calorie knowledge, and actual and perceived influence of calorie information on beverages ordered were assessed. Linear, logistic, and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the four outcomes., Results: The odds of noticing calorie information were significantly higher in the Calorie Information (72.6%) versus No Calorie Information condition (8.0%) (OR = 43.7, 95% CI: 16.8, 113.8). Compared to those in the No Calorie Information condition, participants in the Calorie Information condition had significantly lower odds of responding 'Don't know' (OR = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.09), underestimating (OR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.2), and overestimating (OR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.2) versus accurately estimating calories in beverages ordered. No significant differences were observed between menu labelling conditions in the calories in beverages ordered or the perceived influence of calorie information on the number of beverages ordered., Conclusion: Exposure to menus with calorie information increased consumers noticing the calorie information, and accurately estimating calories in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages ordered. These results have implications for policy-makers considering mandatory menu labelling policy inclusive of alcoholic beverages., (© 2021. Crown.)

Abstract: Many food safety issues have arisen in Taiwan during the past decade. Therefore, in 2016, the Taiwan government proposed the "five rings of food safety" policy to comprehensively protect consumer food supply. Among these policies, the "4-labels-1-Q" approach was adopted to ensure the selection of foods with traceable labels for retrospective study. Hence, this study investigated the association between the degree of familiarity with the 4-labels-1-Q food traceability system and risk perceptions and also investigated whether a consumer's purchase intention toward fresh foods with food labels changed after viewing an educational film on food labels. This study defined subjects as the main food purchasers for their families; 290 valid questionnaire interviews were administered and educational films shown in Tainan markets and stores. Results showed that knowledge about labels significantly affected risk perception for labeling. Age, educational level, and degree of risk perception influenced purchase intention. Results also showed that after viewing the video, subjects' label knowledge and purchase intention increased significantly. However, after adjustment for age, educational level, income, and purchase places, the effect of film education on risk perception was insignificant, especially for those who had lower educational levels, including those older than 65 years. Public trust can be boosted through label education among age groups using different channels and methods, and encouraging the sale of labeled foods in traditional markets would be a useful strategy. Age, educational level, income, and risk perception of participants significantly affected purchase intention. This study can be a reference for designing risk communication strategies and promoting traceable agricultural products., (Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.)

Japan is one of the countries with the highest life expectancy in the world, and maintaining good health is the key component to extend healthy life expectancy. According to World Health Organization, self-care is the ability to promote health, prevent disease, and maintain health. Food labels play an important role in healthy dietary habits for self-care. Food labels comprise nutrition claims and health claims. In Japan, the nutrition component exhibits the contents of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and salt equivalent, which are mandatory, and saturated fat and dietary fiber, which are recommended. On the other hand, the health portion exhibits health maintenance and health promotion by nutrients/ingredients in foods. Under the Food Labeling Act, foods allowed to display health claims, are specified as "Foods with Health Claims" in Japan. The Consumer Affairs Agency reported that most consumers could not utilize food labels, even though the nutrition label serves as a parameter for a healthier food choice. In this regard, front-of-pack labels (FOPLs), are a beneficial tool which encourages people to choose healthier foods, and conduct self-care. However, FOPLs is still unfamiliar in Japan, so we have to investigate which nutrients and which type of FOPLs are the best for Japanese people. In addition to FOPL promotion, education is important to get consumers using food labels for extending their healthy life expectancy.

Food labelling is a tool to inform consumers about the specifications and characteristics of a product. Additionally, labels display information about traditionality and naturalness, of which the meaning is highly subjective. There is a paucity of research examining attributes both of tradition and naturalness. In this study, traditionality was assessed by a model that included temporal, geographical, know-how, and cultural components. Naturalness was evaluated based on bio/organic elements, 'free-from' claims, and natural ingredients. Therefore, a content analysis tool was developed to analyze and score labels of fermented meat products, which generated insights in the key label characteristics of tradition and naturalness. The degree of tradition and naturalness was the average of their subdimensions which were scored based on the displayed elements. A higher degree of tradition and naturalness was linked to higher prices. Fermented meat labels were found to be strongly embedded in 'authenticity', and less in naturalness, an element more attractive for private labels than for branded products., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Since 2013, China has implemented a nutrition label regulation that aims to provide essential nutrition information through nutrition facts tables labeled on the back of food packages. Yet, the relationship between people's nutrition knowledge and their nutrition label use remains less clear. This study adopted the structural equation modeling approach to analyze a nationally representative survey of 1500 Chinese individuals through the cognitive processing model, interrelated nutrition knowledge, attention to nutrition information on the nutrition facts table, comprehension of nutrition information, food choice and dietary intake. It was found that nutrition knowledge positively influenced attention to nutrition information; a better comprehension of nutrition information, which could benefit healthier food choices, did not relate to a higher level of attention to that information; dietary intake was affected significantly by nutrition knowledge, but it had little impact on food choice. The results signify that nutrition knowledge hardly supports nutrition facts table use among the Chinese people, mainly due to incomprehensible labeled information. Therefore, it emphasizes the need to enhance people's comprehension through front-of-package labels and corresponding smartphone applications.

Context: Reducing population intakes of sugar has become a focus of many national and international public health policies. Packaged foods and beverages are key contributors to sugar intakes, and food labels can be an effective tool to reduce sugar consumption., Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to examine the influence of sugar label formats on 2 outcomes: consumers' understanding of sugar information, and the amount of sugar in consumers' food choices., Data Sources: Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CAB Abstracts, SciELO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched up until February 4, 2020., Study Selection: Randomized experiments or quasi-experiments were included if they investigated the influence of sugar label formats on consumers' understanding of sugar information or on the amount of sugar in consumers' food choices., Data Extraction: Data were extracted independently by 2 authors. Mean differences (MDs), standardized mean differences (SMDs), and odds ratios (ORs) plus 95%CIs were used to describe between-group differences for intervention label formats using random-effects models., Results: Twenty-three studies, which examined 39 comparisons, were included. Label formats using "high in sugar" interpretative texts (traffic light labels [MD 41.6; 95%CI 37.9-45.4] and warning signs [OR 1.33; 95%CI 1.0-1.78]) were most effective in increasing consumers' understanding of the sugar content in packaged foods. Health warning messages (SMD -0.32; 95%CI -0.43 to -0.22), graphical depictions of sugar content in teaspoons (SMD -0.32; 95%CI -0.48 to -0.17), and warning signs (SMD -0.24; 95%CI -0.35 to -0.13) were most effective for influencing consumers to choose products with lower sugar content., Conclusions: Formats that provide an interpretation of sugar information, particularly those indicating if a product is high in sugar, were more helpful than only numerical information for improving consumer understanding and promoting food choices with less sugar., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42018081222., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Despite widespread attempts to educate consumers about the dangers of sugar, as well as the advent of nutritional labeling, individuals still struggle to make educated decisions about the foods they eat, and/or to use the Nutrition Facts Panel. This study examined the effect of visual aids on judgments of sugar quantity in popular drinks, and choices. 261 volunteers at four different locations evaluated 11 common beverages. Key measures were estimates of sugar in the drinks, nutrition knowledge, and desire to consume them. In the experimental condition, participants viewed beverages along with test tubes filled with the total amount of sugar in each drink; the control condition had no sugar display. Both groups were encouraged to examine the Nutrition Facts Panel when making their evaluations. Correlational analyses revealed that consumers exposed to the visual aid overestimated sugar content and the length of time needed to exercise to burn off the calories; they also had lower intentions to consume any of the beverages. Individuals asserting to use the Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) in general were also less likely to admit using it in this particular study ( r = -2, p = 0.001). This study suggests that a simple visual aid intervention affected judgments and choices towards curtailing sugar intake. This has implications for labeling format implementation.

Poor diet, resulting from high intake of ultra-processed packaged foods, is increasingly recognised as a key contributing factor to ill health. Food labels provide information on the nutritional content of packaged foods to consumers, which may influence consumption of nutrients such as energy, fat, saturated fat, trans-fats, sodium and added sugars. This review aims to summarise the current evidence for the association between use of food labels and dietary intake. The systematic search was conducted in August 2017 using six databases, with 6325 results. Twenty-six studies were included, including cross-sectional studies (n = 20), a cohort study (n = 1) and randomised controlled trials (n = 5). Studies were assessed using the American Dietetic Association Quality Criteria Checklist. Results were inconsistent in reporting a relationship between diet and food label use but indicated that reading the nutrition facts label is associated with healthier diets, measured by food frequency questionnaires and 24 h recalls. However, there is insufficient research on the association between dietary consumption and use of ingredients lists, serving size information and front-of-pack labels. Using health-related claims may be associated with poor diets, however evidence is inconclusive. Apart from health-related claims, using food labels is associated with healthier diets and should continue to be promoted through policies and education programs. Further research in this area is warranted to provide additional information on the impact of ingredients lists, serving sizes, front-of-pack labels and health-related claims on dietary intake., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to investigate Chinese adults' nutrition label literacy in Hong Kong. It employed a web-based survey with structured questions. A total of 368 Chinese adults aged 18-59 participated in the survey and their nutrition label literacy was measured by the Newest Vital Sign (NVS). About two-thirds (68%) of the participants had limited nutrition literacy skills. Although they were able to identify correctly the calorie and sugar content of food products, 44% and 48% of them had difficulty in determining the consumption of calories and serving food sizes respectively. Another finding from the survey was that those with lower education level and of older age had significantly lower mean nutrition label literacy scores, which indicated that they were at higher risk for food insecurity. The findings showed that the nutrition label literacy level of Hong Kong's general public is quite low. This study can provide insights for nurses and healthcare professionals on how to educate people with lower education level and/or of advanced age to use nutrition labels more effectively and to further nutrition label literacy study and research, particularly in Hong Kong., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Two types of affect influence consumers' attention: incidental affect unrelated to a particular perception or judgment and integral affect directly related to the particular options under consideration. Although integral and incidental affect likely coexist on a regular basis, the claim that both concurrently guide consumers' attention has thus far received little attention. To fill this gap, the present study investigated the effects of the interplay of integral and incidental affect on the visual processing of food. Food labels play an essential role in attracting consumer attention. Food labels include sources of integral affect (e.g., food type, pictures), and consumers often view food labels under the influence of incidental affect (e.g., an unrelated anxiety-inducing message or personal experience). According to the appraisal tendency framework, incidental experiences of anxiety can enhance affective processing of food due to the uncertainty associated with anxiety. In our study, participants were first subjected to manipulation of an incidental emotion (anxiety, anger, or neutral). Then, they passively viewed food labels, including pictures and nutrient labels, for hedonic and healthy foods. Subject's eye movements were tracked during this stage of the study. Our results showed that the induction of incidental anxiety, but not anger or neutral feelings, led to greater visual attention on hedonic foods only. These findings shed light on the interplay between incidental and integral affect in consumer information processing, demonstrating that the co-occurrence of incidental anxiety and integral hedonic feelings enhance visual attention to food., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Food safety and unhealthy dietary pattern are important global health problems. Understanding food-related health needs and providing corresponding support are important to health risk reduction. A needs assessment, education intervention for food labelling, and another intervention for salt-intake reduction were conducted in a rural Kunge community in Yunnan, China in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Not checking the expiry date of packaged food (37.1%) and a high salt diet (53.9%) were the most common problems in the community. Both topics were selected for education intervention. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires were used to evaluate the effectiveness. Education interventions were found effective in improving food-health-related knowledge, changing attitudes toward behaviors such as willingness to read food labels before buying and consuming packaged food. However, no significant improvements were found for the attitudes toward not consuming expired food, controlling salt-intake, and decreasing the consumption of cured food. Health education was shown to be effective in promoting food-health-related knowledge but was limited in changing relevant behaviors in a rural ethnic minority community.

Objective: By clearly conveying the healthiness of a food, front-of-pack (FOP) labels have the potential to influence the portion size considered appropriate for consumption. The present study examined the how the Daily Intake Guide (DIG), Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL) and Health Star Rating (HSR) FOP labels affect judgements of appropriate portion sizes of unhealthy foods compared with when no FOP label is present., Design: Respondents viewed mock packages of unhealthy variations of pizzas, cookies, yoghurts and cornflakes featuring the DIG, MTL, HSR or no FOP label, and indicated the portion size they believed should be eaten of each food on a single occasion., Setting: The survey was completed on the respondent's personal computer., Subjects: A total of 1505 Australian adults provided 4166 ratings across 192 mock packages relating to four product categories: pizza, yoghurt, cornflakes and cookies., Results: Compared with no FOP label, the HSR resulted in a small but significant reduction in the portion size selected as appropriate for consumption of pizzas and cornflakes (P<0·05). The MTL resulted in smaller portions of cornflakes being selected compared with no FOP label (P<0·05)., Conclusions: Respondents perceived smaller portion sizes as appropriate for some, but not all, of the foods tested when FOP labels with more interpretative formats (HSR, MTL) appeared on-pack compared with no FOP label. No effect was found for the less interpretive FOP label (the DIG). Interpretive FOP labels may have the potential to influence portion size judgements, albeit at modest levels.

Nutrient content claims, health claims, and front-of-pack symbols (henceforth referred to as &ldquo;nutrition claims&rdquo; in the present study) are often found on food labels in Canada. However, it is currently unknown whether foods and beverages (F&Bs) carrying nutrition claims have a more favourable nutritional profile than those without such claims. This study examined differences in the global nutritional quality, as determined by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (FSANZ-NPSC), of Canadian F&B bearing nutrition claims as compared to those without, as well as in their nutritional composition. Data ( n = 15,184) was obtained from the University of Toronto 2013 Food Label Information Program. Forty-two percent of F&Bs carrying nutrition claims ( n = 2930/6990) were found to be ineligible to carry claims based on the FSANZ-NPSC, in comparison to 66% of F&Bs without ( n = 5401/8194, p < 0.001). Sugars and sweets, and miscellaneous products were the food categories with larger proportions of foods carrying nutrition claims not meeting the FSANZ-NPSC eligibility criteria. F&Bs with nutrition claims had fewer calories, less saturated fat, sodium, and sugar, and higher content of protein and fibre than comparable products without nutrition claims ( p < 0.05 in all cases). In conclusion, nearly half of F&Bs carrying nutrition claims in Canada did not meet the FSANZ-NPSC threshold, although Canadian products carrying nutrition claims have an overall &ldquo;healthier&rdquo; profile than their counterparts without such claims.

Background: Health claims (HC) are those statements on food labels that state, suggest, or imply that a relationship exists between a food category, a food product, or one of its constituents, and health of consumer. The European legislation on the use of HC aims to encourage responsible consumption by people. The aim of this study is to assess the adherence of HC to EU norms in foodstuffs sold in the large-scale retail distribution in Florence., Methods: Two independent researchers have separately selected and assessed the foodstuffs with HC sold in at least two of four supermarkets identified randomly in Florence. Each selected product was assessed by a checklist with seven macro-criteria, extrapolated from the 'Specific Conditions' and 'Restrictions of Use' provided by EU regulations, rating the adherence of the chosen foods to the legislation., Results: Seventy-seven products were assessed. Only a limited number of products show full compliance to all the criteria. Specifically, noncompliance related to Criterion 3 ("the amount of the food and pattern of consumption required to obtain the claimed beneficial effect are reported") is the most significant: the absence of indications about the maximum amount to be consumed or the modality of consumption could represent a risk of overconsumption and, consequently, a risk for health., Conclusion: According to the results, we hypothesize a lack of knowledge of the EU norms on the part of the manufacturer. A great deal of work is still to be done to assess and manage these products in the right way, as well as to communicate the right messages to the consumers.

Background: The Australian Government has introduced a voluntary front-of-package labeling system that includes total sugar in the calculation., Objective: Our aim was to determine the effect of substituting added sugars for total sugars when calculating Health Star Ratings (HSR) and identify whether use of added sugars improves the capacity to distinguish between core and discretionary food products., Design: This study included packaged food and beverage products available in Australian supermarkets (n=3,610). The product categories included in the analyses were breakfast cereals (n=513), fruit (n=571), milk (n=309), non-alcoholic beverages (n=1,040), vegetables (n=787), and yogurt (n=390). Added sugar values were estimated for each product using a validated method. HSRs were then estimated for every product according to the established method using total sugar, and then by substituting added sugar for total sugar. The scoring system was not modified when added sugar was used in place of total sugar in the HSR calculation. Products were classified as core or discretionary based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines. To investigate whether use of added sugar in the HSR algorithm improved the distinction between core and discretionary products as defined by the Australian Dietary Guidelines, the proportion of core products that received an HSR of ≥3.5 stars and the proportion of discretionary products that received an HSR of <3.5 stars, for algorithms based upon total vs added sugars were determined., Results: There were 2,263 core and 1,347 discretionary foods; 1,684 of 3,610 (47%) products contained added sugar (median 8.4 g/100 g, interquartile range=5.0 to 12.2 g). When the HSR was calculated with added sugar instead of total sugar, an additional 166 (7.3%) core products received an HSR of ≥3.5 stars and 103 (7.6%) discretionary products received a rating of ≥3.5 stars. The odds of correctly identifying a product as core vs discretionary were increased by 61% (odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.06; P<0.001) when the algorithm was based on added compared to total sugars., Conclusions: In the six product categories examined, substitution of added sugars for total sugars better aligned the HSR with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Future work is required to investigate the impact in other product categories., (Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study evaluated customer attitudes, perceptions, and utilisation of a traffic-light food labelling (TFL) programme before and after the TFL was implemented in a worksite canteen in Taiwan., Study Design: A one-arm intervention was implemented in the canteen and buffet of a research park in Taiwan. Phase 1 consisted of dissemination of information regarding the TFL, targeting the customers (June-July, 2014); phase 2 consisted of implementation of the TFL in the buffet starting in August 2014. The TFL included red, yellow and green labels, indicating 'unhealthy/stop', 'moderately unhealthy/wait' and 'healthy/go', respectively., Methods: The evaluation was based on two independent anonymous surveys in July 2014 (in phase 1) and April 2015 (in phase 2). Customers were invited to take a survey regarding the TFL programme, the food environment in the canteen, and their lunch choices. Logistic regression models examined the changes in customers' attention and attitudes towards the labelling and their food choices between the two surveys., Results: The customers reported positive attitudes towards the TFL. The proportion of customers who reported choosing foods based on the recommendations increased from 38% to 50% (P < 0.01). The proportion of the buffet customers who chose green-light entrées and red-light entrées changed from 13% and 63% to 36% and 21%, respectively (P < 0.001). The availability of green-light entrées in the buffet increased as well., Conclusions: This first report of a TFL intervention in an Asian worksite suggests that TFL is acceptable and well understood by this population and may assist customers in choosing healthier items when healthier choices are available., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: This study explored the relationship between health orientation (i.e. individual motivation to engage in healthy attitudes, beliefs and behaviours) and consumers' use of nutritional information on food labels. Specifically, this study analysed the relationship between a number of direct investments in health (namely those behaviours that can contribute directly to maintain a good health status) and use of nutritional information on food labels., Study Design: Data for the analysis were collected through face-to-face interviews with a sample of 540 Italian consumers in charge of their grocery shopping. Forty grocery stores, including supermarkets and hypermarkets, were selected using a systematic sampling technique., Methods: Data were analysed using three equations and accounting for endogeneity issues., Results: This study found that those consumer groups with low health orientation (specifically smokers, those who do not exercise regularly, and those with an unhealthy body weight) show little interest in nutritional labels., Conclusion: Nutritional labels as a tool to promote healthier food choices have a limited effect on those consumers in greatest need of pursuing healthier lifestyle habits. Alternative policy intervention should be undertaken to reach these consumer groups., (Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Regular nutrition label use may have important long-term health implications. To our knowledge, the role of nutrition label use in protecting against the development of chronic diseases was unexplored prospectively before this study. Objective: We tested the association between nutrition label use and risk of a future diabetes diagnosis in a multiethnic US cohort. Design: Data from the ongoing National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (NLSY79) were analyzed. From 2002 (baseline) to 5 follow-up time points (2004-2012), 7150 diabetes-free, multiethnic young adults were prospectively followed for a diagnosis of incident diabetes. Nutrition label use, diabetes diagnosis, time to diabetes diagnosis, and all covariates were self-reported. Results: Between January 2002 and September 2013, 430 participants (6.0%) were diagnosed with diabetes. A weighted, multivariable, extended Cox regression was conducted, which suggested that in nutrition label users, the HR of diabetes diagnosis risk decreased significantly with time ( P -nutrition label use × time interaction < 0.05) compared with risk in nutrition label nonusers. Conclusions: There is an association between nutrition label use and diabetes risk in the longer term. However, additional longitudinal research with a robust dietary intake assessment is needed to test this hypothesis., (© 2017 American Society for Nutrition.)

The "all-natural" label is used extensively in the United States. At many point-of-purchase locations, employed servers provide food samples and call out specific label information to influence consumers' purchase decisions. Despite these ubiquitous practices, it is unclear what information is conveyed to consumers by the all-natural label or how it impacts judgments of perceived food quality, nutritional content, and acceptance. We used a novel approach incorporating immersive technology to simulate a virtual in-store sampling scenario where consumers were asked by a server to evaluate identical products with only one being labeled all-natural. Another condition evaluated the impact of the in-store server additionally emphasizing the all-natural status of one sample. Results indicated the all-natural label significantly improved consumer's perception of product quality and nutritional content, but not liking or willingness to pay, when compared to the regular sample. With the simple emphasis of the all-natural claim by the in-store server, these differences in quality and nutritional content became even more pronounced, and willingness to pay increased significantly by an average of 8%. These results indicate that in a virtual setting consistent with making food purchases, an all-natural front-of-pack label improves consumer perceptions of product quality and nutritional content. In addition, information conveyed to consumers by employed servers has a further, substantial impact on these variables suggesting that consumers are highly susceptible to social influence at the point of purchase., (© 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Background: The majority of US consumers use the nutrition facts panel (NFP) or health claims for food selections. Although previous studies have consistently reported positive impacts of NFP use on dietary intake, evidence regarding the effect of the use of health claims, either alone or in combination with the NFP, on diet quality and health outcomes is scarce., Objectives: Our primary objective was to test for associations of the use of food labels (the NFP or health claims) with overall diet quality in individuals with prediabetes. In addition, we examined the association between food label use and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations., Design: We conducted a weighted linear regression, which was appropriate for a complex sampling survey, with the use of cross-sectional data from 2654 US adults with undiagnosed prediabetes who participated in the 2005-2010 NHANES cycles. The following 4 categories of food label (NFP or health claims) use were identified: 1) both labels, 2) health claims only, 3) neither label, and 4) the NFP only. Healthy Eating Index-2010 score, which we used to assess diet quality, was calculated from two 24-h recalls. Blood samples for analyzing HbA1c concentrations (glycemic control) were collected in the mobile examination center., Results: The overall diet quality scores for the use of both labels [b: -2.76 (95% CI: -5.04, -0.48); P = 0.019], of health claims only [b: -3.46 (-6.64, -0.28); P = 0.033], and of neither label [b: -4.01 (-5.75, -2.28); P < 0.001] were lower than those of NFP-only users. Moreover, HbA1c concentrations of users of both labels [b: 0.09% (95% CI: 0.03%, 0.16%); P = 0.008] and health claims only [b: 0.13% (95% CI: 0.02%, 0.25%); P = 0.021] were higher than those of NFP-only users., Conclusions: In participants with undiagnosed prediabetes, the use of health claims alone, of both labels, or of neither label (compared with the use of the NFP only) was associated with poorer diet quality. In addition, users of neither label and users of both labels had poorer glycemic control. Further studies are needed to understand why the use of health claims may not be health promoting in this high-risk population., (© 2016 American Society for Nutrition.)

Using food labels can be an important component of maintaining healthy weight, but young adolescents are unlikely to have the requisite skills to make use of food labeling information. Our objectives were to determine knowledge about calories and comprehension and use of the Nutrition Facts Panel among a group of inner city African-American and Hispanic middle school students, and to engage the students in refining a Calorie Converter energy expenditure food label. We used quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires, focus groups, and hands-on graphic design activities. Correctly defining the word "calorie" was associated with correct answers to three of four questions requiring interpretation of the Nutrition Facts Panel [χ(2)(1, 138, p < .05) = 4.56, 4.14, and 5.61.] We incorporated students' design and content modifications for the Calorie Converter label, and the majority indicated that the energy expenditure label would influence their food selection practices.

This is a school-based intervention study to promote food label understanding among early adolescents. The researcher assessed the existing nutrition knowledge, attitude, and understanding of food labels. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, an educational program was developed. The change was accessed from pre- and post-test intervention scores, using questionnaire technique. The sample comprised of 490 children. The developed program was implemented on an experimental group of 250 students. The control group consisted of 240 students. The test scores increased for nutrition knowledge from 2.62 to 8.24, attitude towards information from 20.41 to 29.92, practice of using information from 20.63 to 28.24, and understanding from 1.24 to 3.75, whereas no improvement in scores was observed in control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framing of the research. Food labels have a significant impact on shaping consumers' intentions to purchase food products. The adoption of blockchain technology with regard to food labels holds potential as an effective means of enhancing the data accessible to consumers, thereby shaping their purchasing patterns. Purpose of the paper. This study adopts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology as a theoretical framework to understand how blockchain technology adoption in food label systems might influence consumers' intention toward purchasing labeled food. Methodology. A research model with six hypotheses has been developed and tested on a sample of 825 users. The proposed model also highlights the importance of perceived trust and perceived product transparency on customers' purchase intentions. Data have been analyzed via a PLS-SEM approach. Findings. Results show that the adoption of blockchain technology to protect information throughout the food supply chain can positively influence consumers' purchase intentions. Research limits. This work has some limitations, which could serve as a pathway for future investigations. First, it has been conducted within a single country (Italy). Next, though it meets the required sample size for conducting analysis, future studies could enhance the number of observations to reinforce this study's findings. Practical implications. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of blockchain technology in the food industry by providing empirical evidence of its potential as a valuable tool for sustaining company purchases. Originality of the paper. This study advances scientific knowledge of blockchain technology in the specific context of the food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A food label is the most important and direct means of communicating information to the consumer. The internationally accepted definition of a food label is any tag, brand, mark, pictorial, or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed, or impressed on, or attached to, a container of food or food product. Manufacturing companies were obliged to establish labels for their products. The label by the legal requirements, is a label that consists of two parts - the basic part, which is the same for all products, and - the specific one which is different for different products. The paper aims to compare the basic data and information on food labels from different industries in the Republic of Macedonia and to determine the most common deviations. The study is based on a comparison of the basic data and information of different food products from the dairy, meat, and canning industries. An electronic questionnaire was created in which the basic data and information are listed and in the rest of the questionnaire, the information is determined on the products themselves - 10 dairy products, 10 meat products, and 10 products from the canning industry were selected. The simple process of comparison is done, based on the information we get from the label, and the analyzed data were analyzed by arithmetical mean value. After the analysis of the basic data and information, for all products, it was determined that the labels partially comply with the legal requirements. In 70% of the products, only the expiration date is indicated, but not the production date (lot number). This indicates the possibility of potential errors in the determination of shelf life. Accurate label information is essential for industry and consumers and is the basis for the functioning of the withdrawal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between nutrition literacy, diet quality, carotenoid status, and cognition. Adults aged 37.5 ± 17.0 years (n = 52) completed the 42-item Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLit). The Dietary History Questionnaire III was analyzed to determine the Healthy Eating Index. Skin carotenoids were assessed as a diet quality biomarker. Selective attention, relational memory, and pattern separation abilities were assessed using the flanker, spatial reconstruction, and mnemonic similarity tasks, respectively. Statistical adjustments included age, sex, education, and body mass index. No correlations were observed for NLit scores and NLit subscales with Healthy Eating Index and skin carotenoid status. However, the NLit's food label and numeracy subscale was related to greater pattern separation abilities (ρ = 0.33 , r 2 = 0.11, P = 0.03). Comprehension of food labels and numeracy information was associated with memory abilities. Future work is needed to test whether targeting working memory and attentional processes during memory retrieval in larger samples may facilitate the acquisition of nutrition knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate food labelling is of utmost importance for fair trade and empowering consumers to make knowledgeable choices. Quantitative assessment of the meats is one of the most important factors in authentication of this meat product. Therefore, the purpose of this research was the efficiency of the stereological method for detection of the percentage of meat used in raw (Hamburger) and heat-treated (Sausage) meat products. In this study, three samples of beef burger (containing 30, 60 and 90 % meat) and sausage (containing 40, 60 and 90 % meat) were prepared. Each sample was flattened, and then fractionator sampling using a perforated plate as a cutting guide was used for getting systematic uniform random blocks. Totally, 12 blocks were taken from each sample. Each block was fixed in 10 % neutral formalin and embedded in paraffin. The obtained samples, after preparation of tissue sections and staining using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), were studied by a light microscope. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA statistical method and t-test was used to compare significance difference between groups. Stereological analysis showed that the estimated meat percentages in beef burger in different percentages (30, 60 and 90%) did not have a significant difference with the real percentages of meat. In the case of sausage, there was significant difference between the estimated meat percentages and the real percentages of meat in different samples of sausage. Stereology method can be a suitable complementary method to detect the amount of meat used in raw meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food label is any printed panel on a package or a container of food or food product that contains information of the nutritional value and ingredients of the product. Reading food label during food purchasing would encourage consumers to make healthier choices. This study aimed to explore the association between reading food labels and sociodemographic characteristics, antroprometry assessments, and body weight perception among students aged between 13 and 17 in Malaysia Material and methods : We analysed the data from the Adolescent Nutrition Survey 2017. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling design was used, and a total of 212 schools across Malaysia were selected for this survey. Weighting and the sample design were accounted for in all the analyses. The information read and understanding of food label was collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Results : The overall prevalence of reading food labels among students aged 13 to 17 in Malaysia was 84.5%. Girls were found to have significantly higher odds of reading food labels compared to boys (aOR 1.48, p<0.001). Indian, Malay, and others ethnicity of adolescents were reported significantly higher odds of reading food label. The student who answers correct interpretation related to nutrition labeling such as percentage of calories, highest and lowest ingredients also more likely to read the food label. Those with the perception of being overweight and obese were found to have lower odds to read food labels compared to those perceived themselves with normal weight. Students who were currently trying to reduce and increase weight were significantly more likely to read food labels. Conclusion: The prevalence of reading food labels among adolescents in Malaysia is high. However, understanding details related to nutrition labelling should be a part of all programs directed towards tackling the benefit of reading food labels while during food selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last 50 years, consumer awareness of food quality and safety has been growing. Consumers receive information from the food labels. Most of the information on the declaration are clearly defined in the regulations, but there are information such as the shelf life and nutritional values that are left to the producer to determine and declare. The purpose of the research is to determine the reliability of the information that consumers receive through the food labels. The study is based on two sets of questionnaires, one for industry and second one for the consumers. Questionnaire was submitted to a selected 20 food production companies in Macedonia. Questionnaire for the consumers, was made up from three sets of questions about: shelf life, nutritional values and problems related to purchased products. The questionnaire was submitted to a group 100 citizens (25 citizens aged 15 - 20; 25 citizens were in the age group of 20 - 30; 25 citizens were in the age group of 30 - 50 years, and 25 citizens were in the age group of 50 - 60 years). Gained data were processed by arithmetical mean value and a process of comparison. After the analysis of the obtained data, it is concluded that the citizens when choosing food products mostly refer to the shelf life and nutritional values. On the other hand the industry uses established templates/formulas for this information without accurate measure the shelf life and nutritional values. Public pressure will increase and thus the food industry itself will be forced to introduce internal methods to declare accurate information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most challenging part of diabetes management for a patient with diabetes is selecting a healthy diet. The purpose of this study is to evaluate participants' knowledge of food labels, to find out the relationship between the type of diabetes mellitus (DM) and knowledge score of food labels, and to explore the barriers that prevent patients from reading food labels. Methodology: This observational study was conducted on patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes using a validated self-administered questionnaire. The study was conducted at diabetes clinics at King Khalid University Hospital and King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2019 to February 2020. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 310 participants were enrolled in this study, of which 50.3% had type 1 DM, and more than half of them were female (51.6%). Patients with type 1 DM had higher mean declarative and applied knowledge scores than those with type 2 DM, regardless of whether they were taking pre meals insulin or not. The highest proportion (39.9%) had difficulty in understanding the content of the nutrition labels, and some of them (37.2%) did not receive any educational session about it. Only 9.5% of the participants did not have any difficulties in reading food labels. Conclusion: Patients with both types of diabetes tended to have poor total knowledge about food labels and faced difficulties in reading them. Provided educational sessions by primary health care and specialized physician and DM educator about food labels are recommended to help them to choose food properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to determine what consumers take into consideration while buying food and to increase awareness. We also demonstrated food additives knowledge, and the association between food additive consumption and illness. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was used to collect data from respondents (n = 433). Findings: Gender and knowledge of food additives and E numbers were found to be statistically different, as were education status and knowledge of food additives (p < 0.05). When purchasing foods, 40.0% of the respondents seldom read labels and also 34.9% were reading for each buy who verified the product's expiration date (94.2%), followed by brand name (84.8%). Sucralose, Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) and aspartame consumption were associated with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Additionally, sulfite consumption was linked to diarrhea/constipation. Research limitations/implications: This study has some limitations. First, the study was cross-sectional, which does not allow the establishment of causal relationships for the associations found here. Second, the study was limited to one city in Turkey. Therefore, the study's findings cannot be extrapolated to Turkey. Practical implications: Nutrition education should be given by the experts, and the policies should be implemented so that food labels may be used more effectively. Furthermore, nutritional education and policies can increase the general public's awareness of food additives. Social implications: Nutrition education should be given by the experts, and the policies should be implemented so that food labels may be used more effectively. Furthermore, nutritional education and policies can increase the general public's awareness of food additives. Originality/value: Consumers must be knowledgeable about food additives and E numbers. However, the findings revealed that the majority of Turkish consumers seldom read product labels, and the use of several food additives resulted in negative health repercussions. Therefore, professionals should provide nutrition education, and legislation should be put in place so that food labels may be used more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a theoretical presentation of “self-regulated learning”. Based on an existing model – process model according to Schmitz et al. (2007) – the article presents a teaching concept that on the one hand supports learners in an independent learning process and on the other hand combines learning content from the field of nutrition with a practical reference to the living world, for example learning with food labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HSR labels guide healthy choices, but excessive nutritional details can have a negative effect. • Despite the existence of global standards, most FOP labels are regulated and implemented locally. • Incorporating various cultural nuances in the nutritional label design and composition can enhance the globalization of the label. • Customers trust government policies for the successful and effective implementation of HSR. • More research is needed to understand the role of HSR labels on consumers' cross-category comparisons. • Cultural nuances in label design enhance global acceptance and effectiveness. Food labeling systems are paramount in consumer food choices, leading to different consumption patterns. Although earlier research focused on food labeling systems in general and Health Star Rating (HSR) in particular, research still lacks a comprehensive understanding of HSR literature with reference to consumer choices. Therefore, this study aims to understand the extant literature on HSR and how it helps consumers make healthy food choices. Following a systematic literature review methodology, we appraised 102 peer-reviewed articles, identifying five thematic areas around HSR and consumer healthy food choices, including 'regulations, implementations, and evaluations of HSR,' 'consumer food choices,' 'nutrient profiling focus', 'stakeholder perspective of HSR,' and 'marketing strategies for HSR'. Accordingly, this review proposes a future research agenda and offers practical guidelines to facilitate consumer healthy food choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simply introducing environmental labels to nutrition labels may not have the desired effect. • Labels potentially result in biased consumers perceptions of the healthiness and environmental friendliness of certain foods. • Information that should be irrelevant for the evaluation of healthiness/ environmental friendliness influenced how healthy/ environmentally friendly a food was perceived. To communicate sustainability or nutritional information about foods, labels are often used. Little is known whether these labels could result in biased perceptions when used simultaneously. Therefore, we conducted a 2 (Nutri-Score; no, yes) x 2 (Eco-Score; no, yes) experiment in which participants' perceived healthiness and environmental friendliness were measured. Four different foods were used that had Nutri-Score and Eco-Scores high/high, high/low, low/high, and low/low ratings. Data was collected from an online survey of 1,061 consumers in Germany. A between-subjects design to assess the interaction effects between the Nutri-Score and the Eco-Score on four food products was implemented. The results show that the Nutri-Score and Eco-Score influence each other's perceived healthiness and perceived environmental impact assessment of consumers. The labels may, therefore, potentially result in biased perceptions of the healthiness and environmental friendliness of certain foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study aimed to evaluate consumers' perception of self-service foods' nutrition labels. This qualitative and quantitative assessment was performed with potential consumers at food services. Four food labeling formats, traditional, simplified, traffic-light, and warning, were proposed to evaluate three types of sandwiches: simple, chicken, and hamburger. Data were collected via an online survey from April to May 2020. The study included 413 subjects. The respondents preferred the traffic-light format, but there was a good understanding and acceptability of all four models. The traffic-light and warning nutrition labeling models, which showed health warnings, led to a reduction in the choice of the Simple Sandwich and the Hamburger. Most respondents (96.1%, n = 397) agreed that it is necessary to complement the information on food labels with ingredients and the number of calories per serving. Therefore, it is essential to have legislation regulating such issues. Consumers' choices improved with the increase in the information placed on the products. This research demonstrated that nutrition labels explain what exists currently and that consumers require such information. Thus, food labeling may positively influence consumers' choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that food labelling could significantly affect consumer purchasing behaviour. Aim: To identify the profile of the consumer regarding the knowledge about food additives and reading food labels. Materials and methods: Prospective cross-sectional study for a period of 7 months (September 2020- March 2021), using convenience sampling. The research was based on the application of a structured online questionnaire developed on the basis of questionnaires used (successfully) in other similar studies. This questionnaire was designed online using the Google Forms platform, and was distributed through applications and social networks such as: (WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups). Results: The total number who met the inclusion criteria in this study was n = 611 respondents, of whom 12% (n=75) were males and 88% (n=536) were females. Respondents with a low educational level do not know enough information about food additives (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.12-3.9, p <.05), read the label only when buying a product for the first time (OR = 0.41, 95IC: 0.26 -9.82, p <.01), when reading the label to check only the expiration date (OR = 6.43, 95% CI: 2.74-15.02, p <.001) and for these people the information on the label is difficult to understand (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.6-468, p <.01). For respondents with income <1500 lei, the information on the label is difficult to understand (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.24-3.16, p <.05), and they also do not read the food label (OR = 11.39, 95% CI: 2.44-47.3, p <.001). Conclusion: The profile of the consumer who does not read the food label is: people with low educational level, low monthly income and age under 35 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jordan has adapted a strategy to prevent chronic diseases. Accordingly, Ministry of Health is looking for controlling food labeling particularly food fat, trans-fat, and caloric content. This study aimed to screen the food label of products that are sold in Jordanian market in terms of serving size, energy, macronutrient, fiber, total and added sugars, saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, and micronutrient contents. A cross-sectional study was performed to screen the food label for the food products based on the standards of The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations of 2016 and Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA). Generally, food labels were not clear. The screened products were compliant with JFDA standards and not in compliance with some FDA standards. In addition, many products were found to be sources of added sugars, Na, and saturated fats. Stakeholders and legislators are called to focus on developing new laws, regulations, and polices for developing food label. Food manufacturers are needed to work hardly on developing informative, clear, easy-to-understand, and attractive food labels. The legislators of food label policies are called to look for ways to indicate the presence of high amounts of dietary risk factors such as sugars, added sugars, Na, saturated, and trans fats in packaged foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food labeling can be a very important public health tool in providing consumers with information which may help them to make informed decisions towards choosing good nutrition and health. Objective: The main objectives were to assess the awareness and importance of food labeling among students of nutrition and non-nutrition groups and to study the type of information students generally look on the food label while buying a product. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at St. Francis College for Women in which 240 undergraduate college girls aged between 18-21 years of age were selected. The questionnaire was used to assess knowledge of the participants towards food labeling. Results: The results showed that 89.16% of nutrition and 57.5% of non-nutrition students were aware of FSSAI,78.33% of nutrition and 60.83 % of non-nutrition students were aware of ISI, 80.8% of nutrition and only 12.5% of non-nutrition students were aware of FPO,100% of nutrition and 32.5% of non-nutrition students were aware of trans fat,98.3% of nutrition and 86.66% of non-nutrition students reported that food additives and preservatives affect the state of health, 85.8% of nutrition and 38.33% of non-nutrition students reported that MSG has harmful impact on human health,91.66% of nutrition and 92.5% of non-nutrition students were aware of QR codes. Conclusion: The study concluded that those pursuing a degree in nutrition appear to be more capable of interpreting food label information and incorporating that information into a healthy diet than non-nutrition students. Hence, nutrition education can be a powerful tool to create awareness on food label usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attitudes and knowledge regarding the food environment and purchasing behaviour are drivers or hindrances toward a healthier lifestyle. A questionnaire-based study on consumers' knowledge about food and health and main drivers for food purchasing was applied to a group of Romanians and results were compared with those from a similar study carried about 10 years ago. Respondents seem to be more aware of some environmental and ecological problems (deforestation, global warming, etc), about the importance of bioproducts consumption, and regarding the link between food products and health. Still, the nutritional part of the food label is underused. The main reasons for selecting food are the same as in 2011, but with the greater interest paid to food related health aspects and taste. The perceived trust in food safety remains low. The consumers' amount of knowledge regarding food increased, food being perceived more as a useful adjuvant for health maintenance and an energy booster. Ten years after, some positive changes have been noticed in a group of Romanian citizens. Efforts have to continue in order to put a greater accent on the link between health, food, and purchasing behaviour. Education policies at local and European level have to guide consumers' choices so that the impact of food consumption becomes a sanogenic and sustainable one, both on people, and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effects of nutrition knowledge on the use of nutrition facts labels in emerging adults by defining the nutrition education status. Design/methodology/approach: For this cross-sectional study, 919 young adults, aged 18–24 years, were recruited. Participants trained by dietetic professional at least 2 h per week during the period of at least one education period were considered as having nutrition education. Food label use, specific circumstances and different food products were recorded. The participants were also asked about their attitudes regarding food label use with a questionnaire including 15 products. Findings: Nutrition facts label is mainly used when buying a product for the first time, a product of an unknown brand or comparing different companies' similar products, regardless of nutrition education status. Participants with nutrition education had a higher nutrition facts label use and they use the score for specific food products including breakfast cereal (p = 0.003), snacks (p < 0.001), beverages (p = 0.004), ready to eat soups (p = 0.004) and diet products for special occasions (p < 0.001). Mean total score of attitudes regarding food label use for participants who had nutrition education was found as 58.9 ± 6.1 and who did not have nutrition education was found as 51.7 ± 9.2 (p < 0.01). Originality/value: Nutrition education, which is related to the nutrition facts label use, would be especially useful in helping people for the selection of healthier foods. As habits acquired from childhood will last for a lifetime, more effective nutrition education programs and nutrition label reading education programs should be designed. The findings need to be considered for promoting nutrition facts label use by developing nutrition education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the national promotion of food safety measures, a substantial urban–rural gap remains in the demand for food safety in China. To explain this gap, we explore the role of knowledge of food safety labels. We measure demand using the marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for the green food label and the organic food label for rice and pork in urban and rural areas. We employ discrete choice experiments and the control function approach to control for potential endogeneity problems. The results show that the MWTP for the labels is significantly positive among people with label knowledge but insignificant or even negative among people without label knowledge, and the urban–rural gap in the MWTP is larger among the former than among the latter. These knowledge‐related differences explain 8–29% of the urban–rural gap in the MWTP for the green food label. Our findings imply that improving knowledge about the green food label could potentially be effective in reducing the urban–rural gap, while our results also imply the existence of a future challenge for the government in promoting label knowledge more effectively in rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the food label reading habits of health sciences students. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected through a face-to-face survey with voluntary students (n: 520). The survey questionnaire consisted of three parts to gather information about their demographic and anthropometric characteristics and food label reading habits. Chi-squared test and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings: The health sciences students mostly read the food name, expiration date and ingredients on the food labels. However, they paid less attention to the nutrient contents, such as the fat type and carbohydrate, cholesterol, sugar, fiber and salt amounts. The female students paid more attention to the nutrient contents than the male students. Moreover, the Nutrition and Dietetics students paid more attention to the nutrient contents than the other students. Significant negative correlations were found between the carbohydrate, protein and fat amount reading habits and both the body mass index (p = 0.005, p = 0.001 and p < 0.001) and waist to height ratio (p = 0.040, p = 0.005 and p = 0.022). Research limitations/implications: This study does not allow one to draw conclusions for all university students. Originality/value: This study is first such study performed among health sciences students in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]