Search

This work aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the use of front-of-package nutritional labeling (FOPL), identify and characterize the major existing FOPL systems, examine the impact of FOPL systems on consumer behavior, and discuss future perspectives. The searched databases were PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, and papers in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French were considered. The integrative review method was used, comprising 68 papers. The FOPL system from more than 47 countries from North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Australia, and Asia was included in this study. The two main ways to characterize FOPL are the level of interpretation and the type of information provided. Interpretive schemes (such as warning labels, multiple traffic lights, and Nutri-Score) appear to lead to better consumer understanding and support healthier food purchases. However, due to the differences among the results and the specificity of the contexts in which they are used, it is impossible to define one FOPL interpretation scheme superior to the others. Some potential factors that influence the effectiveness of FOPL on consumer attitudes have been identified, such as food taste, as a major intrinsic factor. Extrinsic factors, such as price, food category, cultural diversity, politics, and economics, were also relevant. The lack of availability of similar alternatives, lack of understanding of the importance of FOPL, and lower levels of income and education were also some cognitive and social aspects impairing FOPL effectiveness. Prospects for the United States, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina were discussed., (© 2022 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Increased consumption of unhealthy processed foods, particularly those high in sodium, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The nutrition information on packaged foods can help guide consumers toward products with less sodium and support government actions to improve the healthiness of the food supply. The aims of this study were to estimate the proportion of packaged foods displaying nutrition information for sodium and other nutrients specified by Nigerian nutrition labelling regulations and to determine the amount of sodium in packaged foods sold in Nigeria using data from the nutritional information panel. Data were collected from November 2020 to March 2021 from in-store surveys conducted in supermarkets in three states. A total of 7039 products were collected. Overall, 91.5% ( n = 6439) provided only partial nutrition information, 7.0% ( n = 495) provided no nutritional information, and only 1.5% ( n = 105) displayed a nutrient declaration that included all nutrients specified by 2019 Nigerian regulations. Some form of sodium content information was displayed for 86% of all products ( n = 6032), of which around 45% ( n = 2689) expressed this as 'salt' and 59% ( n = 3559) expressed this as 'sodium', while a small number of food products had both 'salt' and 'sodium' content (3.6%). Provision of sodium or salt information on the label varied between food categories, ranging from 50% (vitamins and supplements, n = 2/4) to 96% (convenience foods, n = 44/46). Food categories with the highest median sodium content were 'meat and meat alternatives' (904 mg/100 g), 'sauces, dressings, spreads, and dips' (560 mg/100 g), and 'snack foods' (536 mg/100 g), although wide variation was often observed within categories. These findings highlight considerable potential to improve the availability and consistency of nutrition information on packaged products in Nigeria and to introduce further policies to reduce the amount of sodium in the Nigerian food supply.

Modern consumers turn to foods marketed as 'natural/organic' in their pursuit of healthier options. However, research that links such claims made on pack with improved nutritional composition is limited. The current analysis used data from all packaged foods available in the Hellenic Food Thesaurus (n = 4002), sold in Greece from 09/2020 to 01/2021, to map the prevalence of packaged foods sold under a 'natural/organic' claim and to compare their nutritional composition against food group matched conventional counterparts. Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics ® . Overall, 'free from' was the most commonly used claim (12.3%), followed by 'natural/pure' (9.1%), 'fresh' (4.6%), and 'bio/organic' (3.3%). Statistically significant differences between the nutritional composition of natural/organic and conventional foods were only found in 5 out of the 13 food categories and in 9 out of 39 subcategories. Being labelled as natural/organic was linked to improved nutritional composition for prepared foods and yogurts, while for breakfast cereal, there was a mixed effect with lower carbohydrate content but higher energy and fat content. Jams labelled as natural/organic had higher energy and total sugar content. Overall, evidence of an association between being labelled as natural/organic and having an improved nutritional composition was extremely rare.

The organic food market's recent rapid global growth reflects the public's interest in buying certified organic foods, including packaged products. Our analysis shows that packaged foods containing fewer ingredients associated with negative public health outcomes are more likely to be labeled organic. Previous studies comparing organic and conventional foods focused primarily on nutrient composition. We expanded this research by additionally examining ingredient characteristics, including processing and functional use. Our dataset included nutrition and ingredient data for 8240 organic and 72,205 conventional food products sold in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020. Compared to conventional foods, organic foods in this dataset had lower total sugar, added sugar, saturated fat and sodium content. Using a mixed effects logistic regression, we found that likelihood of classification as organic increased as sodium content, added sugar content and the number of ultra-processed ingredients and cosmetic additives on the product label decreased. Products containing no trans-fat ingredients were more likely to be labeled organic. A product was more likely to be classified "organic" the more potassium it contained. These features of organic foods sold in the U.S. are significant because lower dietary ingestion of ultra-processed foods, added sugar, sodium and trans-fats is associated with improved public health outcomes.

Unhealthy diets are underpinned by the over-consumption of packaged products. Data describing the ingredient composition of these products is limited. We sought to define the ingredients used in Australian packaged foods and beverages and assess associations between the number of ingredients and existing health indicators. Statements of ingredients were disaggregated, creating separate fields for each ingredient and sub-ingredient. Ingredients were categorised and the average number of ingredients per product was calculated. Associations between number of ingredients and both the nutrient-based Health Star Rating (HSR) and the NOVA level-of-processing classification were assessed. A total of 24,229 products, listing 233,113 ingredients, were included. Products had between 1 and 62 ingredients (median (Interquartile range (IQR)): 8 (3-14)). We identified 915 unique ingredients, which we organised into 17 major and 138 minor categories. 'Additives' were contained in the largest proportion of products (64.6%, (15,652/24,229)). The median number of ingredients per product was significantly lower in products with the optimum 5-star HSR (when compared to all other HSR score groups, p -value < 0.001) and significantly higher in products classified as ultra-processed (when compared to all other NOVA classification groups, p -value < 0.001). There is a strong relationship between the number of ingredients in a product and indicators of nutritional quality and level of processing.

Increased consumption of unhealthy processed foods, particularly those high in sodium, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Nutrition information on packaged foods can help guide consumers toward products with less sodium, however the availability of nutrition information on foods sold in Kenya is currently unknown. The aims of this study were to estimate the proportion of packaged foods and beverages displaying nutrition information for sodium and determine the amount of sodium in packaged foods available for sale in Kenya. Data was collected in 2019 from five retail supermarkets in Nairobi. The availability of sodium information provided on packaged products and the sodium content were recorded. As secondary analyses, we compared sodium content labelling of products in Kenya by manufacturing location and the sodium content of products available in Kenya and South Africa. A total of 6003 packaged products in 56 food categories were identified. Overall, 39% of products displayed sodium content, though the availability of labelling varied widely between food categories, with coverage in main categories ranging from 0% (yoghurts and yoghurt drinks) to 86% (breakfast cereals). Food categories with the highest median sodium content were herbs and spices (9120 mg/100 g), sauces (1200 mg/100 g) and meat alternatives (766 mg/100 g) although wide variabilities were often observed within categories. Imported products were more likely to provide information on sodium than locally produced products (81% compared to 26%) and reported higher median sodium levels (172 mg/100 g compared to 96 mg/100 g). Kenyan products reported a higher median sodium content than South African products in six categories while South African products had higher median sodium in 20 categories, with considerable variation in median sodium content between countries in some categories. These findings highlight considerable potential to improve the availability of sodium information on packaged products in Kenya and to introduce reformulation policies to reduce the amount of sodium in the Kenyan food supply.

Objective: To compare the degree of strictness and agreement of different nutrient profiling models (NPM) used to identify which foods would be required to show front-of-package (FOP) warning labels., Design: Using data of 11 434 packaged foods found in the five largest food retailers in Brazil, we used two published NPM: the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) model and the NPM used in the Chilean nutritional FOP labelling policy, and compared them with a NPM proposed by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). The proportion of foods that would be required to show FOP warning labels was calculated overall and by food category. We also tested whether a modified version of the PAHO NPM would behave similarly to the original version., Setting: Brazil., Results: Two-thirds of the packaged products (62 %) would receive FOP warning labels under the PAHO NPM, as compared with 45 % of products using the proposed Anvisa NPM and 41 % if the Chilean NPM was applied. The PAHO NPM identified more foods high in critical nutrients such as sweetened dairy and non-dairy beverages, canned vegetables and convenience foods. Overall agreement between models was considered good with kappa coefficient ranging from 0·57 to 0·92 but was lower for some food categories., Conclusions: We found variations in the degree of strictness and agreement between assessed NPM. The PAHO NPM identified more foods and beverages high in sugar which are among the top contributors to sugar and energy intake in Brazil.

This review aims to summarize and synthesize studies reporting on changes in sodium levels in packaged food products, restaurant foods, and hospital or school meals, as a result of salt reduction interventions. Studies were extracted from those published in the Science of Salt Weekly between June 2013 and February 2018. Twenty-four studies were identified: 17 assessed the changes in packaged foods, four in restaurant foods, two in hospital or school meals, and one in both packaged and restaurant foods. Three types of interventions were evaluated as part of the studies: voluntary reductions (including targets), labeling, and interventions in institutional settings. Decreases in sodium were observed in all studies (n = 8) that included the same packaged foods matched at two time points, and in the studies carried out in hospitals and schools. However, there was little to no change in mean sodium levels in restaurant foods. The pooled analysis of change in sodium levels in packaged foods showed a decrease in sodium in unmatched food products (-36 mg/100 g, 95% CI -51 to -20 mg/100 g) and in five food categories-breakfast cereals, breads, processed meats, crisps and snacks, and soups. Twenty-two of the 24 studies were from high-income countries, limiting the applicability of the findings to lower resource settings., (©2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: Studies have shown that consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) may be associated with harmful health effects. The current study investigated the presence and types of LCS added to packaged foods., Design: Cross-sectional study analysing the presence and types of LCS in the ingredients lists of packaged foods sold at a major Brazilian supermarket. To identify types of LCS allowed for use in foods in Brazil, current legislation was consulted. Data were organised and analysed through descriptive statistics, presenting simple and relative frequencies of LCS presence categorised by food group., Setting: Supermarket in Florianópolis, southern Brazil., Subjects: Packaged food products (n 4539) from eight food groups., Results: One or more LCS were found in 602 (13·3 %) of the packaged foods analysed. There were 1329 citations of LCS among these foods, with a mean of 2·2 sweeteners per food. Groups with the highest frequency of foods containing LCS were: products with energy derived from carbohydrates and fats (25·0 %); milk and dairy products (11·7 %); bakery products, cereals, legumes, roots and tubers (11·2 %); and fruits, juices, nectars and fruit drinks (8·3 %)., Conclusions: There was high prevalence of packaged foods with LCS, especially in food groups that form the basis of the Brazilian diet. The study was the first to extensively analyse the presence and types of LCS in packaged foods available for sale in a Brazilian supermarket and can be useful to monitor the use of LCS in these foods, as well as to support future changes in legislation to label sugars.

Availability of less-healthy packaged food and beverage products has been implicated as an important driver of obesity and diet-related disease. An increasing number of packaged foods and beverages are sold in India. Our objective was to evaluate the healthiness of packaged foods sold by India's largest manufacturers. Healthiness was assessed using the Australian Health Star Rating (HSR) system and the World Health Organization's European Regional Office (WHO Euro) Nutrient Profile Model. Sales-value-weighted mean healthiness and the proportions of "healthy" products (using a validated HSR cut-off of ≥3.5, and products meeting WHO Euro criteria as healthy enough to market to children) were calculated overall, by company and by food category. Nutrient information for 943 products sold by the 11 largest Indian manufacturers was obtained from nutrient labels, company websites or directly from the manufacturer. Healthiness was low overall (mean HSR 1.8 out of 5.0 stars) with a low proportion defined as "healthy" by both HSR (17%) and also by WHO Euro criteria (8%). There were marked differences in the healthiness of similar products within food categories. Substantial variation between companies (minimum sales-value-weighted mean HSR 0.5 for Company G, versus maximum HSR 3.0 for Company F) was a result of differences in the types of products sold and the nutritional composition of individual products. There are clear opportunities for India's largest food companies to improve both the nutritional quality of individual products and to improve their product mix to include a greater proportion of healthy products., Competing Interests: A.J. is a member of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the Australasian Health Star Rating Advisory Committee (HSRAC). Neither the TAG or HSRAC had any role in in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. E.D., M.R. and B.N. have no conflicts of interest to declare. R.C. has previously acted as a consultant to food companies, but none that are subject of this analysis. S.R.T. has no conflicts to declare.

Background: Front-of-pack food labels (FOPL) can help consumers make healthy and informed food choices. FOPL are used in the food market but evaluations of their understanding and acceptability are scanty. This study aimed to explore the subjective understanding and acceptability of four FOPL among Hispanic consumers., Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in six States of Mexico, in 18 urban elementary schools. A purposive sample of 135 parents of fifth-grade children was selected. Four FOPL were assessed: Logos, Rating Stars, Guideline Daily Allowances (GDA's), and Multiple Traffic Lights (MTL). Trained interviewers performed 18 focus groups with the participants, using an interview guide. Participants were asked about their subjective understanding and acceptability of the FOPL, displaying 16 generic breakfast cereal boxes designed for this study (four for each FOPL), varying in their nutritional value. Afterwards, participants were asked to choose among the four cereal boxes the one to best communicate the product healthiness and their reasons for choice, proposals for improving the FOPL, and desirable characteristics for new FOPL. Finally, a socio-demographic questionnaire was applied. Thematic analysis of the transcriptions of the focus groups was performed, using Altlas.tiV5 software., Results: Logos were perceived as easy to understand, highly acceptable, and useful for decision-making; institutional endorsement of Logos was related to greater confidence in the label. The GDA's were hard to understand considering the nutritional knowledge and time needed for interpretation. The Rating Stars were related to the quality in businesses rather than foods. The MTL were viewed as indicating the high/low content of specific nutrients, but the meaning of the amber color was not fully understood. Participants highlighted the need for a simple FOPL that allows easily identification of healthy products while considering food purchasing time limitations and interpretation of food portions., Conclusions: Logos with an institutional endorsement was the best understood and accepted FOPL, and the GDA's and Rating Stars were the least. Our findings provide valuable insights about Hispanic consumers´ perceptions regarding FOPL and to guide public health policy. Further studies are needed in populations with chronic diseases and diverse social contexts.

As an alternative to bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS) has been used as an ink developer in thermal paper products including price labels on food packaging which have been suggested as the sources of BPS found at high levels in packaged fish samples. BPS in the printed price labels glued onto the outside of plastic film could migrate indirectly from the printed surface through the paper, adhesive and film into the food. In order to investigate if price labels could also be the sources of BPS detected in the meat samples in our previous studies, meat and other food samples packaged under different conditions were collected, and BPS in these samples together with the price labels on the corresponding packaging were extracted with solvent followed by solid phase extraction and stable isotope dilution LC-MS/MS analysis. BPS was detected at very high levels (161.7–222.4 µg/cm2) in all the five sticker type of price labels, indicating BPS being the dominant if not the sole ink developer. BPS was also detected in all the 26 continuous roll type of price labels but at very low levels (0.017–18 ng/cm2), indicating that the dominant ink developer is likely one of the other alternatives, rather than BPS. Despite BPS being detected in all price labels on packaging of fish, meat, and cheese samples, BPS was not detected or detected in only a few fish, meat, and cheese samples at levels considerably lower than the current EU specific migration limit (SML) of 50 ng/g food for BPS authorised under Regulation (EU) 10/2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutrient content and degree of processing are complementary but distinct concepts, and a growing body of evidence shows that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can have detrimental health effects independently from nutrient content. 10 + countries currently mandate front-of-package labels (FOPL) to inform consumers when products are high in added sugars, saturated fat, and/or sodium. Public health advocates have been calling for the addition of ultra-processed warning labels to these FOPLs, but the extent to which consumers would understand and be influenced by such labels remains unknown. We examined whether the addition of ultra-processed warning labels to existing nutrient warning labels could influence consumers' product perceptions and purchase intentions. Methods: In 2023, a sample of adults in Brazil (n = 1,004) answered an open-ended question about the meaning of the term "ultra-processed," followed by an online experiment where they saw four ultra-processed products carrying warning labels. Participants were randomly assigned to view either only nutrient warning labels or nutrient plus ultra-processed warning labels. Participants then answered questions about their intentions to purchase the products, product perceptions, and perceived label effectiveness. Results: Most participants (69%) exhibited a moderate understanding of the term "ultra-processed" prior to the experiment. The addition of an ultra-processed warning label led to a higher share of participants who correctly identified the products as UPFs compared to nutrient warning labels alone (Cohen's d = 0.16, p = 0.02). However, the addition of the ultra-processed warning label did not significantly influence purchase intentions, product healthfulness perceptions, or perceived label effectiveness compared to nutrient warning labels alone (all p > 0.05). In exploratory analyses, demographic characteristics and prior understanding of the concept of UPF did not moderate the effect of ultra-processed warning labels. Conclusions: Ultra-processed warning labels may help consumers better identify UPFs, although they do not seem to influence behavioral intentions and product perceptions beyond the influence already exerted by nutrient warning labels. Future research should examine how ultra-processed warning labels would work for products that do and do not require nutrient warnings, as well as examine the benefits of labeling approaches that signal the health effects of UPFs. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05842460. Prospectively registered March 15th, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to assess consumers' knowledge, perception, and practical understanding of food labels. A validated, structured questionnaire was employed for data collection. Data were collected from 1238 respondents covering all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh using a nonrandomized convenience sampling method. Linear regression analyses were conducted to establish the relationship between demographic attributes and respondents' practical understanding of food labels. The majority of participants (52.5%) actively read food labels when purchasing a product for the first time. Food labels are regarded as "very important" by 56.2% of respondents and "important" by 35.7% of respondents. Label information is prioritized to highlight the importance of clear production and expiration dates (70%), followed by nutritional composition (56.7%) and source of raw material (52.5%). Despite this, over half of the participants demonstrated a limited practical understanding of the nutritional components on labels. The results of our linear regression analysis suggest that individuals within the age range of 18–28, belonging to Muslim communities, residing in the Dhaka and Khulna divisions, being higher educated, possessing a good understanding of nutrition, and being acquainted with the food safety agency of Bangladesh tend to exhibit a greater degree of practical knowledge regarding food labeling when compared to their counterparts. The study emphasizes the importance of clearer label information, particularly for nutritional value, and calls for targeted educational programs to improve consumer understanding of food labels, with a focus on older age groups and expanded educational efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is gaining prominence as a serious public health challenge in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region, with an alarming rate of increase in its prevalence. Countries in the region have shown commitment to curbing the rise of obesity by establishing policies, strategies, and action plans. This paper summarises the current situation and strategies undertaken to combat obesity and related chronic diseases. Although a range of policies and strategies have been developed, including national nutrition action plans, community intervention programmes, fiscal measures, nutrition labelling to promote healthier choices, countries in the region are struggling to make significant progress toward halting the scourge of obesity. It is imperative to strengthen existing health systems with a paradigm shift from a focus on "sick care" to and enhancing nutrition initiatives to support obesity prevention. A comprehensive and coordinated approach is essential, one that emphasises high-level coordination across all levels of government and multiple sectors, and a unified plan rather than fragmented initiatives. For strategies to be effective and sustainable, they must address the fundamental environmental determinants of poor dietary choices and nutritional inequalities. A more holistic approach is clearly needed to improve the entire food environment, which in SEA countries must include the multitude of eating places where large segments of the population "eat out" everyday to meet their energy and nutrient needs. There is a recognised need for more comprehensive measures to promote healthy eating among school children and ensure a supportive environment for lifelong healthy habits. This paper calls for a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach that combines changes to the fundamental food environment and accompanied by systematic monitoring and surveillance systems to achieve long-lasting health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing trend worldwide towards greater awareness of food labelling systems in the fight against global challenges such as unhealthy nutrition and obesity. Nearly 30 governments have approved various front-of-package (FOP) labelling systems, and many countries plan to adopt them. However, since there is no legal regulation regarding FOP labelling systems in Türkiye, nutrition and health-related statements appear on many packaged food products. Although these statements enable consumers to make healthy food choices, they also have the potential to mislead consumers by supporting the perception that foods lacking essential nutritional components or containing potentially harmful substances are healthy. This study examined FOP labelling systems used worldwide, and nutrition and health-related statements on the front of 1336 packaged foods in 6 categories in Türkiye were analysed. Although it varies in each category, the most common expressions are generally recommended daily amount (%14.5), fat (%16), sugar (%9.9), vitamin- mineral (%5.1), and protein (%9.4). Additionally, salt (%0,9), vegan (%2), additive (%11.6) and fibre content (%6.8) information is also commonly declared. As a result, the implementation of effective labeling regulations in Turkey can enhance public health and mitigate the adverse effects of unhealthy nutrition on society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to characterise the market‐driven fortification of vitamins and minerals in packaged foods targeted at children in Brazil. We analysed 535 food labels using data collected in a census‐type method (n = 5620) of food labels in a Brazilian supermarket in 2013. Micronutrients declared in nutrition claims and the ingredients list (synthetic compounds) were considered to be added for commercial purposes. Analysis of the ingredients list and nutrition claims showed that market‐driven fortification of vitamins and minerals was present in 27.1% of foods. The main vitamins and minerals were vitamins A, B complex, C, D, calcium, iron and zinc. The food groups 'Milk and dairy products' and 'Sugars, sugary foods and snacks' had the highest frequencies of micronutrients declared in the ingredients list. Calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and all vitamins, except B7, were found to be added for commercial purposes. Micronutrients were found to be commonly added to packaged foods as a marketing strategy directed at parents and their children. Future studies should assess the amount of vitamins and minerals added to packaged foods targeted at children and whether intakes of vitamins and minerals in children are potentially excessive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The retail market for toddler-specific packaged foods is growing. Many of these products are ultra-processed and high in nutrients of concern for health, yet marketed in ways that may make them appear wholesome. This study aims to assess parents' responses to claims on unhealthy, ultra-processed toddler food products and test whether removing such claims promotes more accurate product perceptions and healthier product preferences. Methods: Parents of toddlers aged 12 to < 36 months (N = 838) were recruited for an online experiment testing four on-pack claim conditions: control (no claim); 'contains "good" ingredient'; 'free from "bad" ingredient'; and unregulated 'child-related' claim. Participants were randomly assigned to one condition, then viewed images of toddler food products that varied in nutrition content and the claims displayed. Participants completed tasks assessing product preferences (unhealthy product displaying claim vs. a healthier option with no claim, across four food categories (banana bars, strawberry snacks, blueberry yogurt snacks and veggie snacks)), purchase intentions and product perceptions. Poisson regression (count variable) and linear regression (continuous outcomes) analyses were employed to test for mean differences by marketing claim conditions. Results: For the overall sample, brief exposure to 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims increased participant's intentions to purchase unhealthy food products for their toddlers, but there was no clear evidence that 'contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims significantly impacted parent's preferences, purchase intentions and perceptions of toddler foods. However, certain claims influenced particular parent subgroups. Notably, parents with three or more children chose more unhealthy products when these products displayed 'contains "good" ingredient' or 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims; the latter claims also promoted stronger purchase intentions and enhanced product perceptions among this subgroup. Conclusions: Findings indicate that 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims on unhealthy toddler foods are of most concern, as they boost the appeal of these products to parents. 'Contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims showed limited effects in this study. Considering available evidence, we recommend claims should not be permitted on child-oriented foods, as they may promote inaccurate product perceptions and unhealthy product choices by parents, that can detract from their children's diets and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK front of package labelling (FOPL) informs consumers on the nutrient content of food. However, FOPL does not consider food processing, and with the UK government being urged to act on ultra-processed food (UPF), whether UPF should be added to FOPL is unclear. This study compared food and drink in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Intake24 database based on FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification, to understand whether UPF are covered by dietary recommendations for foods high in fat, salt and sugar. NDNS items were coded into minimally processed food (MPF), processed culinary ingredients, processed food and UPF according to the NOVA classification and FOPL traffic lights. UPF contained greater energy, fat, saturated fat (SF), total sugar (TS) and salt than MPF. UPF had a greater odds of containing red FOPL and an unhealthier overall FOPL score (OR:4·59 (95 % CI: 3·79, 5·57); OR:7·0 (95 % CI: 6·1, 8·2), respectively) and lower odds of containing green FOPL (OR:0·05 (95 % CI: 0·03, 0·10)), compared with MPFs. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still contained greater energy, fat, SF, TS and salt than MPF. However, several UPF have healthier FOPL scores. UPF had an unhealthier nutritional profile and FOPL score than MPF. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still had an unhealthier profile than MPF, with a higher energy density. Importantly, not all UPF were unhealthy according to FOPL. These results indicate partial overlap between FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification of UK food and drink products, with implications for UK food and drink labelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some research shows that advertising for high-fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) products is contributing to a shift in consumer preferences toward products of poor nutritional quality, leading to unhealthy nutritional intakes that increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. A strategy of displaying simple and understandable nutritional information (like the front-of-pack nutrition label Nutri-Score) in food messages could be an aid to help guide consumers' choice towards healthier products. Methods: A randomized controlled experiment was conducted on 27,085 participants randomly assigned to two experimental conditions or a control condition. In both experimental conditions (independent variable: advertising messages with vs. without the Nutri-Score), participants were exposed to advertisements for diversified food products with contrasting nutritional quality and belonging to nine different food categories. Participants were then asked questions about their perception, affective evaluation, and intentions to purchase and consume the products. In the control condition, they were not exposed to the advertisements. Results: Overall, interaction effects between the two variables (1) the messages with vs. without the Nutri-Score and (2) the nutritional quality of products, were significant for all dependent variables, with effect sizes between large and medium. Overall, the better the products' nutritional quality, the more positive their perceptions, affective evaluations, and intentions to buy and consume them. When the Nutri-score was displayed in advertising messages (vs. when it was not), perceptions, affective evaluation, and behavioral intentions: (1) became more positive for products of good nutritional quality (Nutri-score A and B), (2) became more negative for products of poor nutritional quality (Nutri-score D and E), (3) changed little or not at all for products of intermediate nutritional quality (Nutri-Score C). Conclusions: This research is the first in the literature to demonstrate that displaying the Nutri-Score in advertising messages assists consumers in directing their choices towards healthier foods. Regulations mandating the display of the Nutri-Score in food advertising could be an effective public health measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front-of-package (FOP) labels have been adopted in many countries to battle the obesity pandemic and its serious health consequences by providing clearer and easier-to-understand nutrition and health information. The effectiveness of FOP labels has been generally confirmed, with some contextual and individual factors modifying their effectiveness. Existing theories (eg, the dual-process theory) and shifting priorities for self-control, provide some explanations for the FOP label effect. However, the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying the processing of FOP labels remain unknown. Here, a new model, namely, the neural model of FOP label processing, has been proposed to fill this gap by providing an integrated account of FOP label processing while simultaneously considering multiple important situational and individual factors in the same framework. This neural model is built on the core eating network (ie, the ventral reward pathway and the dorsal control pathway) for food cue processing and actual food consumption. The new model explains how FOP labels may facilitate attention, influence the core eating network, and thus alter food choices. It also demonstrates how motivation may modify FOP label processing in 2 ways: affecting attention (the indirect way) and changing the process of evaluating the food (the direct way). It further explains how some contextual and individual factors (eg, ego depletion, time pressure, and health knowledge) influence the process. Thus, the neural model integrates evidence from behavioral, eye-tracking, and neuroimaging studies into a single, integrated account, deepening understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of FOP label processing. This model might facilitate consensus on the most successful FOP label. Moreover, it could provide insights for consumers, food industries, and policy makers and encourage healthy eating behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although commercially produced complementary foods (CPCFs) are increasingly sold throughout Southeast Asia, concerns have been raised about CPCFs nutritional quality, labelling practices and the strength and scope of national CPCF regulations. The Consortium for Improving Complementary Foods in Southeast Asia (COMMIT), composed of UN agencies and civil society organizations, was formed to assess the nutrient gap in the diets of young children and the consumer, product and policy landscapes for CPCFs in seven Southeast Asian countries. Results from a nutrient gap assessment indicate that the diets of children aged 6–23 months are suboptimal and deficient in micronutrients. A consumer survey revealed that caretakers commonly use CPCFs, are conscious of the importance of nutrition and are influenced by label claims. Results from a CPCF benchmarking showed that many products sold in Southeast Asia contained added sugar or sweeteners, had a high total sugar and/or high sodium content and that no CPCF product adhered to all recommended labelling practices. Further, a legal review of national binding legal measures relevant to CPCFs showed minimal alignment with available global guidance. Urgent actions are necessary to strengthen national regulations related to CPCF nutrient composition and labelling practices. To speed progress, COMMIT developed a compendium of existing standards and global guidance to help countries align their national regulations with CPCF composition, labelling and production recommendations. Advocacy to garner public support for new or improved CPCF regulations, as well as strong government monitoring and enforcement of regulations, is crucial to support efforts to safeguard and improve the diets of older infants and young children in Southeast Asia. Key message: Poor diet quality is a major driver of the triple burden of malnutrition in Southeast Asia, where food environments are rapidly changing and commercially produced complementary foods (CPCFs) are widely available.CPCFs are routinely purchased for children 6–23 months of age because of their convenience and perceived nutritional value. COMMIT (Consortium for Improving Complementary Foods in Southeast Asia) found that caregivers' purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by CPCF labelling claims related to naturalness and healthfulness.Many CPCFs sold are fortified with micronutrients; however, 62% of cereals and ready‐to‐eat foods and 85% of snack and finger foods did not meet global nutritional standards and no products fully conformed to global CPCF labelling standards, which include the prohibition of claims.CPCFs that do not adhere to recommended nutrient composition and labelling requirements are unsuitable for children 6–36 months and should be prohibited from promotion. Legal measures in the seven countries studied are insufficient and require urgent action. A compendium of existing CPCF standards and global guidance, developed by COMMIT, can be used as a resource to update and strengthen national legislation to safeguard older infants and young child nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers in low‐ and middle‐income countries increasingly feed commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) to older infants and young children—shaped by factors including industry promotion. The dynamics of CPCF consumption and caregiver knowledge, attitudes and behaviours regarding complementary feeding practices are poorly understood in these settings. We examined how caregiver knowledge/attitudes/behaviours about CPCF shape the feeding of older infants and young children in the capital cities of five countries in Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila). An online, web‐based, cross‐sectional panel survey was conducted among mothers of a child aged 6−23 months. One hundred participants were included in each of the five capital cities. Questionnaires were undertaken in the official language of each city. Data were analysed in Stata (version 17.0), using χ2 tests to examine difference between variables of interest. All mothers purchased CPCF for their youngest child aged 6−23 months at the time of survey. CPCF were commonly fed to children at least once per day, and in many of the five cities at most or every feeding. While factors such as convenience and affordability influenced CPCF purchase, mothers primarily purchased CPCF for nutritional reasons. The most common source of feeding information was health care professionals, followed by social media. CPCF are ubiquitous in the diets of older infants and young children of educated middle–upper socioeconomic status mothers in capital cities of Southeast Asia, with perceived healthiness a key driver in selecting CPCF. A strong governmental regulatory response to industry marketing/promotion will be critical to addressing CPCF appropriateness, including health and nutritional claim use. Key messages: Commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) are ubiquitous in the diets of older infants and young children of educated middle−upper socioeconomic status mothers in capital cities of Southeast Asia.While factors such as convenience and price and affordability influenced CPCF purchase, mothers in this study said they mainly purchased CPCF for perceived nutritional reasons.A strong government regulatory response to mandate CPCF standards for nutrient content, labelling and promotion will be critical in ensuring nutritional quality of CPCF and appropriate promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market for commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) is rapidly expanding in Southeast Asia; however, the existence and content of mandatory national policies, standards and legislation (binding legal measures) for CPCF in the region is unclear. To assess the status of national binding legal measures for CPCF in Southeast Asia, a legal and policy desk review was conducted in seven countries (Cambodia, Laos People's Democratic Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam). The alignment of the national binding legal measures relevant to CPCF was assessed against guidance on CPCF nutrient composition and labelling requirements provided by Codex Alimentarius and the World Health Organization (WHO). Each of the seven countries had at least two national binding legal measures related to the nutrient composition or labelling of CPCF; however, there was limited alignment with the guidance from Codex and WHO. No country was fully aligned with the three CPCF‐specific Codex standards/guidelines and only one country was in full alignment with the recommendations related to the protection of breastfeeding from the 'WHO Guidance on ending the inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children'. The findings of the review indicate that the existing national binding legal measures are insufficient to ensure that the CPCF sold as suitable for older infants and young children are nutritionally adequate and labelled in a responsible manner that does not mislead caregivers. Improved and enforced national binding legal measures for CPCF, in alignment with global guidance, are required to ensure that countries protect, promote and support optimal nutrition for children 6–36 months of age. Key messages: Given the proliferation of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) in Southeast Asia, national binding legal measures are essential to ensure CPCF are nutritionally suitable for older infants and young children (IYC), and are labelled in a manner that does not mislead caregivers.All seven Southeast Asian countries included in this review were found to have at least two national binding legal measures related to the nutrient composition and/or labelling practices of CPCF. However, there was limited alignment between these binding legal measures and the available guidance documents.No country was fully aligned with the six relevant Codex Alimentarius (Codex) standards and only one country was fully aligned with guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO). Existing binding legal measures do not ensure that CPCF are nutritionally adequate and labelled in a responsible way that enables caregivers to make healthy choices for older IYC.Countries in Southeast Asia urgently require consolidated guidance on how to develop appropriate, legally binding and enforceable standards for CPCF nutrient composition and labelling. Existing guidance is fragmented and Codex standards are outdated and insufficient for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF), including ready‐to‐eat CPCF purées and meals, are gaining popularity among caregivers of older infants and young children (IYC) as a convenient alternative to home‐prepared foods in low and middle‐income countries. However, there is growing concern regarding the suitability of these products for older IYC, as they can contain high levels of sugar and/or sodium. Given the rapidly evolving market in Southeast Asia, it is crucial to monitor the appropriate composition and promotion of CPCF in the region. This study examined the nutrient composition and labelling practices of CPCF purées and meals sold in 2021 in the capital cities of seven Southeast Asian countries: Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Lao PDR), Hanoi (Viet Nam), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The study adapted a nutrient profiling model from the WHO Regional Office for Europe to determine the proportion of products suitable for promotion for older IYC. The proportion of CPCF purées and meals that would require a high sugar front‐of‐pack warning based on the percentage energy from total sugar was also determined. Of the 459 CPCF purées/meals assessed, only 37.7% of the products met all nutrient composition requirements and none met all labelling requirements. In addition, most CPCF purées and meals were identified as having high total sugar content. To ensure that older IYC consume appropriate CPCF products, Southeast Asian countries need to implement and enforce regulations concerning the nutrient composition and labelling practices of CPCF purées and meals. Key messages: Only one‐third of CPCF purées/meals were identified as nutritionally suitable for promotion for older IYC, with performance varying by sub‐category, and over three‐quarters of products contained high levels of total sugar.None of the CPCF purées/meals presented fully appropriate labelling practices, with the use of inappropriate claims the most prevalent issue. Further, one‐third of products recommended an age of introduction of less than 6 months.To ensure that CPCF purées/meals sold in Southeast Asia have appropriate nutrient composition and labelling practices, it is essential that national standards are in accordance with global guidance and enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the extent of alignment between 'healthiness' defined by a food classification system that classifies foods and beverages primarily by their nutrient composition, the Health Star Rating (HSR) and a system that considers only the degree of processing of the product, the NOVA classification system. We used data for 25 486 products contained within the George Institute for Global Health's Australian 2022 FoodSwitch Dataset. Agreement between the two systems in the proportion of products classified as 'healthier' (HSR ≥3.5 or NOVA group 1–3) or 'less healthy' (HSR <3.5 or NOVA group 4) was assessed using the κ statistic. There was 'fair' agreement (κ = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.29–0.31) between both systems in the proportion of all products classified as healthier or less healthy. Approximately one‐third (n = 8729) of all products were defined as 'discordant', including 34.3% (n = 5620) of NOVA group 4 products with HSR ≥3.5 (commonly convenience foods, sports/diet foods, meat alternatives, as well as products containing non‐sugar sweeteners) and 34.1% (n = 3109) of NOVA group 1–3 products with HSR <3.5 (commonly single‐ingredient foods such as sugars/syrups, full‐fat dairy and products specially produced to contain no ultra‐processed ingredients). Our analysis strengthens the evidence for the similarities and differences in product healthiness according to a nutrient‐based classification system and a processing‐based classification system. Although the systems' classifications align for the majority of food and beverage products, the discordance found for some product categories indicates potential for confusion if systems are deployed alongside each other within food policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing market share of commercial complementary foods, their nutritional characteristics and those associated with the price of products are still unknown in Japan. We compared the nutritional characteristics of commercially available complementary foods of different price levels in Japan. Data were obtained from the websites of Japanese brands of infant and young children's food. Nutrient profiles (unit/100 g), ingredients and food additives were compared between low- and high-priced products by product type. Sixty-three dry meals, 425 soft meals, 187 snacks and sweets, and 60 drinks were analysed. One-fifth of meals and snacks exceeded the CODEX-defined limit (200 mg Na/100 g). Most products lacked content information on nutrients non-mandated to be indicated. High-priced soft meals contained more protein (2·5 v. 1·9 g/100 g) and less Na (0·18 v. 0·46 g/100 g), less frequently used ≥ 1 added sugar (23 % v. 82 %), and less frequently used food additives than low-priced products; however, they had a lower variety of ingredients. The prevalence of products containing ≥ 1 added sugar was higher in low-priced snacks and sweets (91 % v. 77 %) but lower in drinks (48 % v. 84 %) than in their high-priced counterparts. High Na content is a concern among commercial complementary foods in Japan. Nonetheless, the relationship between the price and nutritional profile of these foods differs by product type. High-priced soft meals might be more favourable regarding nutrient content but not the variety of ingredients than low-priced counterparts. These findings elucidate the nutritional characteristics of commercial complementary foods in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Plant‐based eating patterns are recommended for human and planetary health. Plant‐based protein sources in supermarkets include traditional options and plant‐based meat analogues. This cross‐sectional survey examined the nutritional content, healthiness, cost and labelling of these products. Methods: Nutrient content and claims on canned legumes (plain [N = 64] and flavoured [N = 25]), canned baked beans (N = 23), dried legumes (N = 21), tofu (plain [N = 8] and flavoured [N = 5]), falafels (N = 14), meat analogues (meat‐free burgers [N = 11], meat‐free sausages [N = 10] and 'other' meat‐free products [N = 20]) were obtained from a database of packaged foods in New Zealand. Mean (SD) energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, sodium and dietary fibre content (per 100 g) was calculated for each category. Healthiness was assessed using an estimated Health Star Rating (Rating ≥3.5 considered 'healthy'). Product data were linked with household purchasing data from the 2019 Nielsen IQ® consumer panel to calculate mean purchase price/100 g/category. The number and type of nutrition claims were compared across categories. Results: The highest mean protein content was 'other' meat‐free products (14.8 ± 6.9 g/100 g). Meat‐free sausages had the highest sodium and saturated fat content (643 ± 148 mg/100 g, 3.7 ± 4.5 g/100 g). Overall, few meat analogues (N = 5, 12%) scored an estimated Health Star Rating ≥3.5. Dried legumes were the cheapest plant protein (mean ± SD) purchase price = NZ $0.30 ± 0.16/100 g), compared with 'other' meat‐free products (purchase price = NZ $2.57 ± 0.88/100 g). The most common nutrition claims on meat analogues were about protein content. Dietary fibre claims were the most common on canned and dried legumes. Conclusion: Meat analogues offer convenience, however, may be less healthy and more expensive than traditional plant‐based proteins. This study assists dietitians in providing accurate consumer messaging about healthy plant‐based proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike conventional foods, supplemented foods are prepackaged foods containing one or more added supplemental ingredients, such as vitamins, mineral nutrients, amino acids, and caffeine, which have historically been marketed as providing specific physiological benefits or health effects. These ingredients can pose a health risk if overconsumed by the general population or if consumed by certain vulnerable populations such as children or those who are pregnant. Consumer perspectives of a proposed risk-based multicomponent supplemented food labelling strategy to protect the health and safety of Canadians were explored using virtual discussion groups with participants (n = 88) of varying socio-demographics and health literacy levels. Thematic content analysis of the discussions was conducted using core health literacy competencies of accessibility, understanding, and appraisal of the risk-based product labelling information. The front-of-package supplemented food caution identifier was attention grabbing and conveyed a message to search out and carefully consider the Supplemented Food Facts table and cautionary labelling elements on the back of the package. These back-of-package labelling elements enhanced awareness of the supplemental ingredients and the specific cautions for use of the supplemented food. This risk-based product labelling strategy, with multiple components, was perceived to be a useful strategy for distinguishing supplemented foods from conventional foods and enhancing awareness of the cautionary labelling. Educational strategies will be required to ensure that the health and safety risks associated with supplemented foods are understood so that consumers can make more informed consumption decisions. Risk-based labelling strategy for supplemented foods Strategy goes beyond the general requirements for prepackaged foods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information included on food packages has a crucial role in influencing consumer product associations and purchase decisions. In particular, visual and textual cues on processed and ultra-processed products can convey health-related associations that influence consumer healthiness perception and purchase decisions. In this context, the present work aimed to explore the use of health-related cues on the packages of processed and ultra-processed products sold in Uruguay to provide insights for policy making. A total of 3813 products from thirty-four different food categories found in four of the most important supermarket chains in Uruguay were surveyed. The textual and visual information included on the packages as well as the nutritional composition of the products were analysed. Results showed that 67 % of the products included at least one health-related cue. Pictures of culinary ingredients, natural and minimally processed foods were the most frequent health-related cue, followed by references to naturalness and claims related to critical nutrients. The prevalence of health-related cues largely differed across product categories, ranging from 100 to 17 %. The relationship between the presence of health-related cues on the packages and the excessive content of nutrients associated with non-communicable diseases was assessed using a gradient boosting model, which showed limited predictive ability. This suggests that the inclusion of health-related cues on food packages was not strongly related to the nutritional composition of products and therefore cannot be regarded as a healthiness indicator. These results stress the need to develop stricter labelling regulations to protect consumers from misleading information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine the contribution of pre-packaged foods to population sodium intake in China, and to propose sodium content targets for food subcategories used for the World Health Organization's (WHO's) global sodium benchmarks. Methods The impact of four different approaches to reducing the sodium content of pre-packaged foods on population sodium intake was estimated using data from national databases covering the nutrient content and ingredients of 51 803 food products and food consumption by 15 670 Chinese adults. We recategorized food products using a food categorization framework developed for WHO's global sodium benchmarks and adapted for China-specific foods. Findings Pre-packaged foods, including condiments, contributed 1302.5 mg/day of sodium intake per adult in 2021, accounting for 30.1% of population sodium intake in China. Setting maximum sodium content levels using a 90th-percentile target would reduce sodium intake from pre-packaged foods by 96.2 mg/day, corresponding to a 1.9% reduction in population intake. Using the 75th-percentile, a fixed 20% reduction and WHO benchmark targets would further reduce intake by 262.0 mg/day (5.2% population intake), 302.8 mg/day (6.0% population intake) and 701.2 mg/day per person (13.9% population intake), respectively. Maximum sodium content levels based on revised 20% reduction targets were proposed because they should result in substantial and acceptable reductions in sodium content for most food subcategories: overall sodium intake would decline by 305.0 mg/day per person, and population intake by 6.1%. Conclusion This study provides the scientific rationale for government policy on setting targets for food sodium content in China. Simultaneous action on discretionary salt use should also be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing meals of high nutritional value should be the principal objective of large-scale school-based food aid programs. This study aimed at highlighting the nutritional value of meals distributed in the school-based food assistance DIATROFI Program by comparing them to their commercially available counterparts. For the purpose of this study, n = 13 DIATROFI meals and n = 50 commercial products from the 2016–2017 school year, and n = 12 DIATROFI meals and n = 40 commercial products from the 2022–2023 school year were selected. The protein, carbohydrate, total sugar, dietary fiber, total fat, sodium/salt content, and fatty acid methyl ester profile of DIATROFI meals were estimated through recipe simulation and national/international food databases, and verified through laboratory analyses while the relevant information was extracted from the label for commercial products. As verified by laboratory analyses and in comparison with food labels, most DIATROFI meals had lower total fat, saturated fatty acid, and sugar content, and most had higher dietary fiber content during both years. Many recipes' nutrient profiles also improved over time. DIATROFI meals present significant advantages over available commercial products. Such tailored-made school meals can prove to be advantageous in terms of nutrition profile compared to commercially available, which have yet to be impacted by food reformulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the global childhood obesity, it is essential to monitor the nutrition value of commercial foods. A cross-sectional study (November 2018 to April 2019) aimed to evaluate the nutritional adequacy of processed/ultra-processed food products targeted at 0–36-month-old children in Portugal and in Brazil. The nutrient profiling model developed by the Pan American Health Organization was used. A total of food 171 products were assessed (123 in Portugal and forty eight in Brazil). From the fifteen available meat- or fish-based meals in Brazil, 60 % exceeded the amount of Na and 100 % exceeded the target for total fat. Given the lack of specification of sugars within carbohydrates in the label of the foods in Brazil, it was not possible to calculate free sugars. In Portugal, from the seventeen fruit and vegetable purees and the six juice/smoothie/tea/drinks available, 82 % and 67 %, respectively, surpassed the level of free sugar, while total and saturated fat was excessive in all yogurt and yogurt-related products (n 21), 40 % of biscuit/wafer/crisps (two out of five) and 13 % meat- or fish-based meals (two out of sixteen). These findings demonstrate the relevance of improving the nutritional profile of some food products targeted to young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify the origin of fresh and minimally processed foods served to hospital patients, and explore the challenges and enablers to local food procurement in hospitals. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted in a healthcare network in Victoria, Australia. Packaging labels and product information were used to audit fresh and minimally processed foods purchased in 1 week. Processed food items and meals made offsite were not audited. Interviews were conducted with patients, staff and suppliers to explore their perspectives towards local food in hospitals. Framework analysis was used to identify themes. Results: Of 105 food products audited, 32% were imported, 25% were 'local' from Victoria and the remaining 43% were from within Australia (excluding Victoria). Qualitative interviews revealed several challenges including: increased cost of local food items, inconsistent supply and variable quality of local produce, difficulty accessing origin information, and lack of autonomy for hospitals to make food procurement choices. Enablers included: conducting a food origin audit to increase awareness, group purchasing organisation prioritising local food suppliers, and suppliers valuing local produce. Conclusion: A food origin audit and interviews with stakeholders provided a rich understanding of current practices and how to increase local food procurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Actualización en Nutrición is the property of Sociedad Argentina 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.)

The advertisement of food and beverages on television and social media has been widely assessed, evidencing its powerful influence on children's dietary patterns and the development of childhood obesity. However, there is a gap in the evidence about advertisements near schools. The aim of this study was to describe and classify the nutritional quality and information of processed foods and alcoholic and non‐alcoholic beverages advertised near schools in three cities in the north of Spain. A descriptive analysis was performed from September to December 2021 in the cities of Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés in the Principality of Asturias (Spain). The nutritional quality and information of processed foods or beverages advertised within a 500 m radius of schools were assessed. The Nutri‐Score system was used for the classification of the nutritional quality of products and nutritional information, calories, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt in 100 g or ml of each product was calculated. A total of 73.5% of the products were classified as "foods to eat less often and in small amounts," and 22.6% and 46.3% were classified as D or E, respectively, according to the Nutri‐Score system. Finally, 57.5%, 56.4% and 78.5% of the products showed a medium to high content of fat, saturated fat and sugar, respectively. In conclusion, the food and drink advertisements surrounding schools in the assessed cities promote many products of low nutritional value, rich in fat, saturated fat and sugars, which have high obesogenic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attitude of consumers of packaged food towards the nutritional aspect of food is increasing every day, and in this context, the product’s food labels play a very important role, providing pertinent information to consumers about the nutritional aspects. Food labeling allows consumers to make well-informed decisions while purchasing and consuming any food product. A tremendous growth in the consumption of packaged food has been observed in the last few years. This study focuses on the impact of nutrition labeling on consumer buying behavior. A sample of 243 respondents was surveyed to know the factors that determine consumer buying behavior and the impact of nutrition labeling on packaged food products on consumer buying behavior; factor analysis was done to get appropriate results. The study found that the factors that determine consumer buying behavior are nutritional values, labeling as a selection criterion, focus on family requirements, and brand comparison. It is also found that nutrition labeling has a significant impact on the buying behavior of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la ALAD is the property of Publicidad Permanyer SLU 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.)

Background: Infant formulae are a primary source of nutrition during the first years of life, to which sugars are frequently added. This may contribute to adverse dental health problems if consumed excessively when coupled with prolonged and nocturnal feeding habits. Aim: To assess the amount and type of dietary sugars in commercially available infant formulae in the UAE. Design: Sucrose, glucose, and fructose were measured in 71 different brands of commercially available infant formulae for retail sale in the UAE. Analysis was performed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. Sugar values were compared with the reported levels on the nutritional labels. A comparison between findings, product labels, and international standards for infant formulae was performed. Results: Of the 71 samples, 23 had detectable sugar levels, varying between sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Ten samples were found to have sugars contributing to more than 5% of total energy intake ranging between 5.68% and 27.06%. All infant formula packages had carbohydrate levels mentioned on the labels, but very few mentioned the added sugar content. Conclusions: Many infant formula products tested contained sugars that exceeded the standard recommended intake. Tighter regulations that monitor the amount of sugar in infant formulae and guidelines for comprehensive labeling systems are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Família, Ciclos de Vida e Saúde no Contexto Social (REFACS) is the property of Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro, Instituto de Ciencias da Saude 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.)

Copyright of Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional is the property of Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Portal de Periodicos Eletronicos Cientificos 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.)

Background: Transfats also infamous as ugly fat is an unsaturated fat which is formed in industries by hydrogenation of monosaturated fat by thermal processing etc in order to make cheaper plant fat look like animal fat .Though we also have natural transfats which are formed by biotransformation in rumen of animal, they are not so dangerous for our health. Transfats is stated to increase level of LDL and decrease level of HDL thereby causing increase risk of cardiovascular diseases; it is also linked to obesity, dementia in many studies and is emerging as one of the major challenge to public health in 21st century. Various organizations like FSSAI has given guidelines on transfats, WHO has committed to remove industrially produced transfats by 2023. Objective: we conducted the study to understand consumer awareness about transfats. Methods: Study was conducted 15 different grocery shops, questions were asked via interview, schedules .Total N=362. Data was analyzed by comparing on basis of gender, educational level. Results: 60.8% of participants said they look for food label in packaged food, 74.3% were found aware about harmful effects of transfats, 30.4% said they are aware about fssai limit for transfats, Only 63.3% graduate & above, 33.3% above matriculation and 13.3 % below matriculation consumers said they look for food label. Conclusion: The study found out that many educated people also lack awareness about transfers and a very few percentage of people were found aware about fssai limit for transfats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a surge in the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Over the last 50 years there has been a rapid growth in the consumption of ultra-processed food products high in salt, fat, and glycemic load in SSA. There is overwhelming evidence linking UPFP consumption to an increased risk of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, overall CVD, and all-cause mortality. Front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) represents an important intervention to guide consumers towards healthier diets and ultimately contribute to the prevention of diet-related adverse health outcomes including CVD. This paper discusses the challenges in the development and implementation of FOPL systems in SSA, and proposes some key elements that would be critical for developing an effective FOPL system in SSA countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the exposure of Brazilian infants and children to food additives through a comprehensive packaged food labelling database. Data collection was conducted at a large retail chain supermarket store in 2020 collecting the food labelling information from 7828 packaged foods. In total, 1118 packaged foods targeted at infants and children divided in 39 food groups were analyzed to investigate the presence, number, type and functional class of food additives declared in the ingredient list. Of these, 86 % declared at least one type of food additive. The average number of food additives in a single food was 4, with a maximum of 20 additives. In 17 food groups, there were no additive-free options. The most common additive functional classes were flavorings (70.7 %), emulsifiers (43.6 %), and color agents (33.8 %). These same functional classes most frequently co-occurred with other classes. These results suggest an important exposure of Brazilian children to food additives, and the situation is little analyzed in other countries. Therefore, it is urgent to identify this issue around the world, as well that food regulatory agencies should consider more restrictive regulations on the use of additives in packaged foods targeted at infants and children. • Of the 1118 food items, 86 % declared at least one additive in the ingredient list. • Flavorings, emulsifiers, and color agents were the most frequent additive classes. • Most food items (80 %) contained more than one additive. • Cluster and network analyses identified co-occurrence patterns of additive classes. • Classes with evidence of health impacts, i.e., color, preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers, co-occurred with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Disclosure of additives potentially associated with gut dysbiosis on food labels was assessed. • Such additives were found in 38.1% of the products. • Potassium sorbate was the additive associated with gut dysbiosis most frequently found. • Co-occurrence of additives associated with gut dysbiosis was found in 15.8% of the products. Recent empirical evidence suggests that gut dysbiosis is one of the negative health outcomes potentially associated with chronic consumption of some food additives. In this context, the present study aimed at analyzing the disclosure of food additives associated with gut dysbiosis in the labels of products commercialized in the Uruguayan market. A cross-sectional survey of packaged products commercialized in nine supermarkets was conducted between August and September 2021. All packaged processed and ultra-processed products available in each data collection site were surveyed using a cellphone app. The information available on the labels was manually extracted and the disclosure of food additives was analyzed using a computer assisted approach. Results showed that 38.1% of the products disclosed at least one food additive associated with gut dysbiosis. Disclosure was most frequent in ice-cream and popsicles, beverages, meat products and analogues, desserts, and fats, oils and fat and oil emulsions. Potassium sorbate was the individual additive associated with gut dysbiosis most frequently disclosed on the labels, followed by mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acid, sucralose, carboxymethylcellulose, acesulphame potassium, carrageenan, and sodium benzoate. These food additives frequently co-occurred and network analysis enabled the identification of patterns of co-occurrence. Taken together, results from the present work suggest the need to conduct additional research to assess the intake of food additives associated with gut dysbiosis at the population level, as well as to evaluate potential synergistic effects of food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Canada proposed the implementation of mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) labelling regulations, whereby foods meeting or exceeding thresholds for nutrients-of-concern (i.e., total sugars, saturated fat, sodium) must display a 'high-in' FOP symbol (FOP). The objective of the study was to evaluate the potential implications of the proposed regulations using Canadian generic and branded food composition databases.Methods: A generic food composition database of products consumed by Canadians, Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) 2015 (n = 3,677), and a branded food composition database of packaged foods and beverages, Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017 (n = 17,521), were used to evaluate the number and proportion of foods that would display a FOP symbol based on the details of the proposed FOP labelling regulations published in 2018.Results: Overall, 35.5% (n = 1,306) of products in CNF 2015 and 63.9% (n = 11,193) of products in FLIP 2017 would display a FOP symbol for at least one nutrient-of-concern exceeding proposed thresholds. Soups, Combination Dishes, and Desserts categories in CNF 2015 and Combination dishes, Soups, and Meats categories in FLIP 2017 would have the highest proportion of products that would display a FOP symbol. Although displaying a FOP symbol for one nutrient was most common in both CNF 2015 (n = 992; 27.0%) and FLIP 2017 (n = 7,296, 41.6%), the number (i.e., 0-3) and type (i.e., saturated fat, sodium, total sugar) of nutrients displayed varied by food category.Conclusion: While the generic database, containing both packaged and unpackaged foods, revealed a low prevalence of foods that would display a FOP symbol, the branded database showed that the proposed FOP labelling regulations would identify over 60% of packaged foods with excess contents of nutrients-of-concern. Considering the high prevalence of packaged foods in Canada that would meet or exceed the thresholds of nutrients-of-concern, the proposed FOP labelling regulations should be implemented in a timely manner to help consumers easily identify foods high in nutrients-of-concern and encourage manufacturer-driven product reformulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]