Reasons for Printing Health and Nutrition Information on Food
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Reasons for Printing Health and Nutrition Information on Food
As a requirement of the law in the United States and across the world, printing of health and nutrition information on food products is a compulsory prerequisite for all food manufacturers. Although many firms print this information merely to comply with the law, there are many other reasons why such information is essential to consumers. Many consumers do not know much about various food products; labeling provides the information required to understand the component calories, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Other reasons for printing labels include guidelines related to food storage and preparation, indication of production and expiry dates, provision of health and dietary advice, and availing information that assists consumers in comparing different products when making choices before purchases.
The most common elements encompassed in food labels include names of products, lists of component ingredients, dates of manufacture and expiry, instructions of usage and storage, unit volumes of the packaged product, and details of merchandise producers. According to McGuire and Beerman (2007), provision of product names and ingredient lists distinctly enable consumers to learn more about what they buy. In due course, they get to understand the nutritional composition of food and buy only those they need. This is also aided by volume labeling and food component percentage distribution marking. It is important for consumers to know that the type of food they are buying contains what percentage of minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and the overall amounts of calories. In health considerations, some components prompt certain allergic reactions and labeling helps buyers to avoid these (McGuire & Beerman, 2007).
In relation to instructions, it is important to note that numerous food products are prepared in different ways. Shoppers buying varieties they have not consumed before may face the challenge of not knowing how to cook the dishes. As explained by Nestle (2010), there are also types of food which may need to be mixed with volumes of water, chemicals, food additives, and even other foods. Use of nonstandard volumes in such combinations may result in tasteless, unpleasant, or even poisonous outcomes. An additional consideration in labeling relates to shelf life durations. It is worth noting that many food products become toxic and unsafe after specific spans of time (McGuire & Beerman, 2007). For that reason, it is compulsory that all manufacturers label both the production and expiry dates of food products. Specific types of food require conditional storage without which they may easily decompose or become unfit for consumption. Such conditions may include freezing or warming (Summers, 2007). Food labels also assist consumers in taking care of this.
Perhaps the other relevant reason for food labeling is to allow consumers obtain value for their money and make the best decisions when buying. A conspicuous system of displaying food products in supermarkets and shops is by placing specific types from different manufacturers side by side. In this way, a customer can compare and evaluate the cheapest prices, largest volumes, quality of production and packaging, and inclusion of various relevant ingredients (Nestle, 2010).
Many manufacturers and distributors label food products because it is a legal requirement without which they would not distribute or sell. However, printing of health and nutrition information on food has many reasons that serve both the consumer and producer. These include provision of relevant health information for right dietary choices, instruction on storage, preparation, and usage, provision of expiry dates, and the advantage of comparing different variables before arriving at a final choice.
References
McGuire, M., & Beerman, K. A. (2007). Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food. Belmont, Calif.: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Nestle, M. (2010). Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety. Berkeley: The University of California Press.
Summers, J. L. (2007). Food Labeling Compliance Review. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishers.
