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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]

Focus group interviews of parents of 10- to 12-year-old children in Bangkok, Thailand, were conducted to understand how they made milk and yogurt purchase decisions. The transcript analysis indicated five key themes with no differences observed among socioeconomic status groups. These themes revealed the societal value of being tall; and a firm belief that the consumption of milk, but not yogurt, helped to increase final adult height. Overall, parents had low confidence in their buying decisions. These findings may assist both policymakers and the dairy industry in improving food labeling and developing consumer communication strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today’s consumers are becoming more aware of what they consume and the implications that a proper diet can have for their health. This work aimed to understand how Lebanese people get information about foods, and which communication media they consider the most appropriate. Also, the attitudes toward food labelling were assessed. This was a cross-sectional study undertaken by means of a questionnaire survey on a sample of 258 Lebanese participants. Data analysis used statistical tools such as T-test and ANOVA with post hoc to test possible group differences or Cronbach’s alpha to assess internal scale reliability. The results showed that radio was the first choice as a media tool used by Lebanese people for gathering food information (29.1%), followed by hospitals (23.3%), and the participants also considered that these are the most appropriate means to communicate information (28.3 and 22.5%, respectively). Regarding the Lebanese behaviour on nutrition labelling, nearly half of the participants (44.6%) very frequently or always check the food labels but some showed no interest in the components and the fibres they contain. Reliability analysis showed that the items used to assess the food labelling scale have a very high internal consistency (α = 0.847). So, the Lebanese people tend to rely on radio for information about food and the labels are considered as important source of information as well. Nevertheless, Lebanese don’t consult the nutritional composition as often as desirable in order to adjust their purchases or compare to different items, aimed at healthier food choices. So in order to inform Lebanese people about related food rich in fibres and to instigate their purchasing intentions, the producing companies must rely on marketing campaigns through radio and on labels not just the information in nutritional composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Claims on labels are one of major marketing strategies in the food industry. Health of consumers may be affected by inaccurate and misleading claims and therefore, such claims need to be regulated by state legislation. The Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations, 2005 made under the Food Act of 1980 is the main law governing food labelling claims in Sri Lanka. This study is a desk review which analyses the relevant regulations in the Food (Labelling and Advertising) Regulations, 2005. The study further critiques the existing regulations and compares with international standards (Codex Alimentarius) and regulations in developed countries such as Australia which have a broad local and international food market with modern technology. The objective of the study is to identify the scope of the ‘claim’ and its current legislative pitfalls under the existing Sri Lankan legal domain together with its permeability and restrictions. This study finds that the regulations on claims are not precisely structured and less strong in Sri Lanka. The scope of the definition of ‘claim’ is vague. Only limited types of claims are stated within the legislation and are often wrongly classified. Certain claim types are not defined at all in the Sri Lankan regulations. Therefore, this study suggests that in order to improve public health, future amendments to the existing regulations are necessary with broader, stronger and clear regulations.

Objective To investigate the current status of allergen claims in the label of prepackaged foods in China, and to provide suggestions for the revision of the General Rules for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods. Methods Sampling or photographing was performed in large and medium-sized supermarkets across the country, allergen claims information on pre-packaged food were collected, various food allergen claims were analyzed. Results A total of 8 694 samples were included. The overall identification rate of allergen claims was 21.58% (1 876/8 694). The percentage of foods containing allergens claims in bakery foods was the highest (65.73%, 468/712). Among the allergens, the highest rate of claims was milk and dairy (17.09%, 1 486/8 694). The most frequent claims were "may contain", "this streamline also produces", "this processing equipment also produces", and "this plant also processes" which indicated the presence of cross-contaminations, and those claims were mainly in bakery foods, puffed foods, grains and their products. Conclusion There were many types of food allergens in pre-packaged foods in China. The use of allergen claim was not standardized, and their were too many cross-contamination claims. In general, allergen claims were widely used in food products and should become the focus of allergens management in China.

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]

Having a holistic understanding of research on well-being messaging for milk is vital to allow the optimal communication of the association between milk consumption and various nutritional, physical, and psychological benefits to the consumer. This work is a unique interdisciplinary, scoping review of existing research on well-being messaging for milk. Well-being messages are ways to communicate the broad well-being benefits of specific products to the consumer through information on food content or statements that link a product with favourable components, functions, or well-being outcomes. Leveraging this broad definition, and by proposing a guiding theoretical model that considers well-being messaging as a form of communication, milk well-being messaging literature has been mapped across time, geographical locations, disciplines, and product types. Two hundred forty-six were records included in this review, of which 177 were empirical studies. Studies were disseminated between 1954 and 2019, with 54.9% published after 2011. Food, Agriculture, and Biological Sciences (N = 109), Nutrition and Dietetics (N = 78), and Medicine, Public Health, and Health Professions (N = 69) disciplines have attracted the most publications, with numbers generally increasing in most recent years. The majority of included non-empirical records (69.6%) provide lists of commercially available products carrying well-being messaging and/or regulations on the use of particular well-being messages for milk according to various legislative authorities. Most of the empirical studies were conducted in North America (N = 71), West Europe (N = 52), and Oceania (N = 22), and on plain (i.e., unflavoured) milk (N = 152). Whereas, most studied elements of well-being messaging for milk across time, i.e., message (N = 169), product (N = 141), receiver (N = 101), and context (N = 72) have seen an increasing number of studies in recent years; sender (N = 51) and medium (N = 27) have been even less studied in the past four years. A more detailed analysis of research trends in each element of well-being messaging is reported. The research highlights immediate and strategic knowledge gaps that need further attention from researchers and/or policymakers in order to improve the “messaging” of well-being benefits of milk consumption to the consumer.

Objective: Gluten-free products, despite their increasing popularity, energy and macronutrient contents are unknown. Therefore, this study aims to compare gluten-free products with their gluten containing counterparts on energy, macronutrients (carbohydrate, added sugar, total fat, saturated fat, dietary fiber, protein) and prices. Methods: In this study, 129 gluten-free (GF) and 304 similar gluten-containing (GC) products are bought from five hypermarkets in which located in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey to analyze their contents of energy, macronutrients, and prices based on their label information. The products were evaluated in eight subgroups: bread, pasta, flour, breakfast cereals, processed meat products, snack bars, sweet biscuitscookies- cakes, crackers-salty crispies. The comparisons between groups performed using SPSS software. Results: In this study, gluten-free foods in bread, pasta, flour, biscuits-cookies-cakes, and crackerssalty crispies products are found to contain less protein than gluten containing products (p<0.05). Besides, compared to their GC counterparts, GF bread contains more total fat, and GF flours contain more carbohydrates (p<0.05). GF pasta contains less fiber and more carbohydrate than GC equivalents (p<0.05). Gluten-free sweet biscuits-cookies-cakes group has more added sugar than gluten-containing counterparts (p<0.05). Gluten-free snack products were found to contain more total fat, less fiber than counterparts. The gluten-free product groups except for processed meat products were more expensive than glutencontaining product groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Despite the variations of food groups, gluten-free products are not nutritionally superior for healthy people because of their high carbohydrate, high total fat, low protein, and low dietary fiber contents. In addition, the high prices of GF products should also be considered. As a conclusion that recommending glutenfree products to healthy individuals will not provide additional benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [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]

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences / Türkiye Klinikleri Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study,DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial COI gene fragment(about 650 bp)was used to identify 127 samples (42 groups) collected on Jiangsu market,to determine the labeling consistency. The similarity value (98%) for all samples in the database alignment. The overall identification success rates at species and genus levels reached 40. 48% and 50. 00%, respectively. Among 42 groups of samples, 3 were labeled with scientific names, and one of them can be accurately identified at the species level, consistent with the labeled one. 29 Groups of fresh fish samples could be morphologically identified and only reported the Chinese common names. One group of fresh fish samples was identified as species in consistent with the morphological identification, implying the possibility of mislabeling and adulteration. Finally, a unified standard for regulating the use of Chinese fish common names is still unavailable, leading to the confusion with fish species labeling in China. DNA barcoding represents great potential for fish species identification,and is feasible to screen for adulteration detection on Chinese market. [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]

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.

Background and purpose: Labelling is a communication tool between the manufacturer/ distributor and customer which includes all optional and mandatory information about a product. Awareness and education are the primary steps in forming a positive attitude toward food labels. The purpose of this study was structural equation modeling in awareness and attitude of consumers about food labels in Sari, north of Iran. Materials and methods: This survey research was performed in 2019. The research population included all food consumers in Sari, of whom 167 were selected as the study sample based on Cochran's formula. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. According to the average variance extracted (0.501 >AVE< 0.621) and composite reliability (0.823 >CR < 0.941), the questionnaire had a convergent validity and appropriate reliability. SPSS V16 and SmartPLS 2.0.M3 were used to analyze the data. Results: The study showed that characteristics of the products and food labels, and consumer’s age, and educational level had significant effects on their awareness of food labeling (P<0.01). The awareness of the consumers about food labels and consumer’s age were found to significantly influence their attitude toward food labels (P<0.01). Conclusion: Efforts should be done to increase consumers awareness about food labeling which consequently improves their ability to interpret food labels and their attitude towards food labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Increased public knowledge concerning roles of nutrition in prevention of noncommunicable diseases have urged people to select healthy foods. The aim of this study was to investigate levels of understanding and use of food labeling systems and their determinants by medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study on medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 2018, 240 medical students were participated using stratified random sampling method. During the study, participants were asked about their use of nutritional value panel, ingredient list and serving size information of the food labels. To assess understanding levels of the food labeling, subjective and objective methods were used. Results: Based on the findings, 41.2% of the participants always/most often read food labels when purchasing foods, while 34.2% of them read food labels occasionally. The most common reason for non-using food labels included lack of time to read the food labels (40.8%). A relative majority of the participants (42.5%) occasionally used food labels for diet planning. A majority of the participants (74.6%) reported that they somewhat were aware of food label information. Moreover, 70 to 90.4% of the participants chose the right label as the healthiest from three pairs of labels. Understanding and use of food labels were higher in females than males (p = 0.046 and p = 0.038, respectively). Conclusions: Less than half of the medical students always/most often used food label information when buying food products. Further studies on other populations are needed to suggest recommendations for an effectual food labelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Izmir Katip Celebi University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal / İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Izmir Katip Celebi University, Faculty of Health Sciene Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: Interpretive front-of-package nutrition labelling can contribute to healthier food habits. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of interpretive front-of-package nutrition labelling schemes on consumers' food choices, namely at the moment of food purchase, and to analyse if this potential front-of-package nutrition labelling's effect varies according to different socioeconomic groups. Methods: Electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) search was performed to identify peer-reviewed articles describing longitudinal studies evaluating the effect of front-of-package nutrition labelling schemes on consumers' food choices, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-Equity 2012 Extension guidelines. No publication-period or language restrictions were applied. PROGRESS-Plus framework was used to report if and how socioeconomic factors were considered in analyses of front-of-package nutrition labelling-related interventions' effect. Results: Nine studies were selected for narrative synthesis (seven randomized controlled trials and two cross-over trials). When compared with no-interpretive-label conditions, front-of-package nutrition labelling showed a positive impact for nutritional content understanding, healthiness perception of products, selection of products with better nutritional quality, and purchase intention. However, there is no robust evidence of superiority of a specific front-ofpackage nutrition labelling scheme's effect, neither on consumers' understanding of nutritional content nor on food choices. An evaluation of the studies following the PROGRESS-Plus framework revealed that socioecononomic status and education were the most frequently used dimensions, when assessing the effect of interpretative front-of-pack nutrition labels. More evidence is necessary to determine the role of front-of-pack nutrition labels in decreasing inequalities between different population subgroups, namely among the most vulnerable subgroups, on the promotion of healthy food choices. Conclusion: Well controlled longitudinal studies, following a real-world evidence approach, are needed to clarify front-of-package nutrition labelling's impact on consumers' food choices, namely at purchase points, taking into account the most vulnerable population subgroups, such as those with lower literacy and/or financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in relative level of education and the growing middle-class income earners in Nigeria have made packaged food items attractive to consumers. These foods provide handy, nutritious and convenient food for consumers; however, they also come with public health concerns. From a policy perspective, food labelling can gauge consumers’ response to the safety conditions of packaged food. However, understanding consumers’ awareness and the use of food label information has attracted little research attention in many developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we investigated consumers’ awareness of the use of food safety labels in Lagos state, Nigeria. We used primary data collected using pretested structured questionnaire from 220 food shoppers who bought pre-packaged foods. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Consumers’ awareness and use of food safety information was revealed using descriptive statistics; Ordinal Regression Analysis was used to examine the socioeconomic factors determining the frequency of reading food safety labels. We found evidence of the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on how consumers read food labels. The study therefore recommends that there should be continuous awareness campaigns on the importance of food labels in ensuring safety and food producers should make sure their food labels are legible.

The increase in relative level of education and the growing middle-class income earners in Nigeria have made packaged food items attractive to consumers. These foods provide handy, nutritious and convenient food for consumers; however, they also come with public health concerns. From a policy perspective, food labelling can gauge consumers' response to the safety conditions of packaged food. However, understanding consumers' awareness and the use of food label information has attracted little research attention in many developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we investigate consumers' awareness of the use of food safety labels in Lagos state, Nigeria. We used primary data collected using pretested structured questionnaire from 220 food shoppers who bought pre-packaged foods. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Consumers' awareness and use of food safety information was revealed using descriptive statistics; Ordinal Regression Analysis was used to examine the socioeconomic factors determining the frequency of reading food safety labels. The study therefore recommends that there should be continuous awareness campaigns on the importance of food labels in ensuring safety and food producers should make sure their food labels are legible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nutricion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Consumers are willing to pay a higher price for products certified as sustainable. By implication, such certification is in the interest of producers, too. A general claim that sustainability characteristics automatically imply a price margin may not, however, be justified. Rather, several price premia might be necessary. This analysis based on 882 product prices of the German online retail, is concerned with the price premia attached to various labels and products. It estimates individual price premia for products, like coffee, tea, sweets, spices, etc., showing that sustainable food labeling is not always an indicator for a price markup. In fact, for some products (e.g. spices, chocolate) and labels (e.g. UTZ) a negative price effect is even estimated. Such markdowns may be due to a differing emphasis on sustainability issues along the supply chain for some products or the label's certification policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The perception that consumers in low Income Countries have poor knowledge and understanding of food or nutrition labels and, therefore, do not rely on them at the point of purchase is rife. This study was aimed at assessing consumer knowledge and understanding and its influence on food label usage in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana. An analytical cross-sectional study design was employed and mainly literate adults aged 15 to 60 years were conveniently selected and interviewed at various points-of-purchase including supermarkets, provision shops and other trading outlets. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows (version 19.0). Percentages were calculated and reported for descriptive statistics whilst chi-square tests of significance and regression analysis were employed to measure relationships between variables. Statistically significant differences were accepted at p<0.05. Out of the 384 consumers interviewed, 98.4% (n=378) were aware of food labels, yet, only 66.7 % (n=256) claimed they understood the labels. A large proportion (95.8%) also claimed they checked but just about 51.9% said they did so "always". Most (89.3%) claimed they are influenced by key factors on the labels with the level of influence being highest with nutrition content, followed by expiry date, health-claim, price and advertisement respectively. However, at the point-of-purchase most (79.4) revealed they looked out for expiry date. Socio-demographic characteristics including gender (p=0.009), age (p=0.017), occupation (p=0.042), educational level (p=0.022) and income (p=0.051) were significantly associated with consumers' understanding of the labels, with gender remaining the only significant predictor. Furthermore, age (p=0.054), occupation (p=0.0.007) and educational level (p<0.001) showed significant associations with food label usage. Education level (Tertiary) emerged the only significant predictor of food label usage. The level of knowledge and use of nutrition information on food packages among predominantly literate consumers in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana can be compared to that of consumers in other parts of the world. These results may inform the need for developing an approach towards future information and education strategies for health professionals and other stakeholders interested in consumer awareness activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convenient caffeine sources include energy drinks that are increasing in popularity among recreational and professional athletes, military personnel, young adults, and other consumers seeking ‘’energy boosters’’. Since energy drinks are a relatively concentrated source of caffeine, there is a risk of missing individually targeted caffeine intake or risk of inadvertently high intake with adverse effects. Therefore, the accuracy of declared caffeine content of energy drinks is highly important, especially from a consumer point. The purpose of this study was to determine caffeine content of 15 beverages available on the Croatian market and compare the analytical with the declared value. Caffeine was determined by high performance liquid chromatography technique with photodiode-array detection (HPLC-PDA). In 5 of total 15 products, a higher caffeine content was determined in average of 3.01 % than the one declared, resulting with increased intake of 4.75 mg caffeine/serving. In another 10 analysed products the content of caffeine was lower in average of 5.33 % (4.79 mg caffeine/serving) in compare to the one declared. Therefore, only with accurate information about the caffeine content in energy drinks may consumers and clinicians be assured of safe usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo Alergia alimentar é uma reação adversa à saúde, cujas manifestações clínicas podem levar o indivíduo a óbito. Dentre os diversos alimentos que podem ser fonte de alergênicos, pode-se destacar o chocolate. Dependendo da composição, o chocolate pode acumular um grande número de ingredientes alergênicos, potencializando os riscos associados ao seu consumo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a rotulagem de chocolates frente à legislação brasileira RDC n.º 26/2015. Os chocolates foram separados em oito categorias, sendo avaliados 139 rótulos. A declaração para alergênico não foi encontrada em 11% dos rótulos, mesmo havendo ingredientes com obrigatoriedade de declaração. As categorias: “chocolate a base de soja” e “confeitos” representaram 40% e 33% dos rótulos não declarados, respectivamente. Pelo menos uma não conformidade frente à RDC n.º 26/2015 foi encontrada em 53% dos rótulos de chocolate, cujas categorias “chocolate diet/light/zero ” e “confeitos” apresentaram não conformidade em 100% e 50% dos rótulos, respectivamente. A declaração em “ local encoberto, de difícil visualização e/ou no lacre/torção ” foi a não conformidade mais recorrente (21% dos rótulos). A legislação deveria ser suficiente para promover um alinhamento na comunicação entre a indústria e o consumidor. Porém, observa-se que a adesão às regras de rotulagem para alergênicos ainda não é completa, mesmo depois de encerrado o período para adequações.

Objective: Studies have shown that the consumption of added sugars may be associated with harmful health effects. The present study investigated the presence and types of added sugars in packaged foods. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the presence and types of added sugars in the ingredients lists of packaged foods sold in a major Brazilian supermarket. The nomenclature of ingredients classified as added sugars and their frequency were identified. Data were organised and analysed through descriptive statistics: absolute and relative frequencies of the presence of added sugars categorised by food groups were calculated, and ingredients were analysed by text mining using R statistical environment. Setting: A supermarket in Florianópolis, a metropolis in southern Brazil. Subjects: Packaged food products (n 4539) classified into eight groups. Results: Of the 4539 products, 71 % had some type of added sugar. The group with the highest frequency of added sugars was 'products in which carbohydrates and fats are the main energy source' (93 %). Food groups containing predominantly salty foods had a high frequency of added sugars, such as 'meats and eggs' (61 %). In total, 179 different terms for added sugars were identified, of which sugar, maltodextrin and glucose syrup were the most frequent. Conclusions: Most of the packaged foods sold in Brazil contain added sugars, which may hamper adherence to the recommendation of limiting added sugars intake. The data may be useful for monitoring tendencies in the use of added sugars in packaged foods and as supplementary information to support the improvement of food label regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]