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Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

  • 1.  Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 27-04-2021 16:44

    Hi All,

    The advocacy team have approached me with questions around food labelling. Any answers you have to the below would be helpful.

    The information that is communicated to us on food labels can be confusing and limited.

    • Do you regularly read the food labels of products you buy?
    • Do you do this only for new products, or for products you have consumed before?
    • What is the most difficult/annoying aspect of food labelling?
    • Do you rely on the health star rating, or do you still look at the more detailed components?
    • Would you like to see a 'diabetes' rating, or would that complicate your personal choices?
    • What would be the components you would expect in a 'diabetes' rating?


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    Live Your Life Community Team
    Natasha & Erin
    membership@diabetesnsw.com.au
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  • 2.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 28-04-2021 09:18
    I do read food labels for the ingredients and the crucial nutrition information box. The main issue is the size of the font on some labels. I need a magnifying glass plus my glasses to read some of them. When I was involved in labelling there was a minimum font size of 6 pt. Not sure if this is the case with food but with the advent of computers it is possible to reduce whatever you have designed  down to fit on the container regardless of legibility.  Companies are also reluctant to put information on their labels that isn't just advertising so they will put that in large friendly letters and colours  and important information they are obliged to put on is in as small a font as possible and hidden in an obscure spot.

    Personally I wouldn't look at a diabetes rating - I prefer to be given the information I need so I can work out my insulin requirement.

    Incidentally I prefer to see the amount of CHO per dry weight of  rice as I weigh it out before I cook not after. 
    regards

    ------------------------------
    Judith
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 29-04-2021 05:51
    I read the food labels for CH content and have very little faith in the veracity of the information. Below is the contents of an email I sent to Leggo's regarding their packaging information - they have not bothered to reply:-

    "Greetings !

    We bought a packet of Leggo's Fresh Ricotta and Spinach Agnolotti with Parmesan. the UPC is 9300645056891.

    Before I get accused of ranting let me explain. I am a type 1 diabetic on pump therapy. In most cases I rely of the Nutrition Information provided by the producer to get my therapy right.

    With this product the "Nutrition Information Panel" indicates that each there are 2 servings per package and that each serve is 229 gms the front of the package indicates that the package is 360 gms. 229 X 2 = 458. Who worked this little bit of math for youn ?

    Also the "Nutrition Information Panel" indicates that each serve is worth 75.3 gms of Carbohydrate. So 360/2 =180. 180 * 0.325( your stated gms of carbohydrate per 100 gms)  = 58.5 gms of carbohydrate.

    Elsewhere on the "Nutrition Information Panel" each serving is worth 75.3  gms of carbohdrate per serve.

    Quite frankly the information is complete rubbish and you should send whoever compiled it back to primary school.

    The level of incorrect information on this packaging is wrong to the point of being criminal. If I and other people on controlled diets cannot rely on the packaging information you provide you need to rethink your approach.

    Please put 5 minutes into the packaging of each product and do a better job."

    I use the information but don't trust it !



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 29-04-2021 16:24
    I mainly read the carbohydrate content of a product, but would be a benefit to have diabetes rating, but would still check the carbohydrates.
    I really dislike white printing on a yellow background, especially using small print where a 
    magnifying glass doesn't even help.
    I find some labels are so small that a magnifying glass as well as glasses, like Judith, doesn't even help.
    I also use measuring scales for all carbohydrates at home, but considering buying a small set to use when staying with family.

    Betty




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 28-04-2021 15:37
    Hi,

    I always read the food labels carefully. Personally I focus on the carbohydrate count. I seldom bother about the salt levels as calculating the portion size is crucial. 
    I would like food labels to show how many grams of carbs per 100 gms of the product. It is a bonus if the label also shows what are the total grams of the product in a portion size and how many grams of carbs are in the portion size.

    All this is then used to calculate the total grams of carbs in a portion so I can calculate my insulin dosage.

    I never bother with 'health stars' ratings.

    It is annoying if the product does not include the average carbohydrate grams in a portion size.
    I can workout the portion size providing the product shows how many grams of carbs are in 100 gms of the product but it requires a bit more maths.

    I do not think a 'diabetes' rating would be very helpful unless it included on the label how many grams of carbs per 100 gms of the product and how many grams of the product in a portion size and how many gms of carbs in that portion size. If the product was also was labelled to show it was low in salt and low in added sugar this might help. If the product was packaged as a single serve then if the serve size was 15gms of carbs then that probably would be helpful for me but some people use 10gms of carbs as the portion size.

    Personally I use a set of food scales for most meals at home to measure the portion size. 




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 29-04-2021 18:01
    Hi All

    Being both TID and coeliac I have to make very frequent use of the food labels. My major issue (as far as diabetes is concerned) is their illegibility  as the font is very small in some cases even when the product container is large. In addition to using my reading glasses I sometimes resort to using a small magnifying glass kept in the kitchen for just that purpose. Often the choice of colours and lack of contrast between the font and the background colours also makes legibility difficult.

    Another issue is the strange 'number of servings' in a container, eg 3.3 serves. In addition to the magnifying glass one also has to resort to a calculator for some products.

    A diabetes rating sounds dubious to me especially if it were similar to the current so-called health star ratings.  To help control my glucose levels I need precise CHO data not some generalised band system.

    --
    Harwood 





    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 29-04-2021 18:09
    In reply to Harwood - I sometimes wonder what sort of idiot can get the number of serves so incredibly confusing.

    These people - Ie. food producers - need to have a serious think about their responsibilities.

    They must designate the least intelligent to the labelling department.

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    Paul
    "Living on Earth is expensive, but it does include a free trip around the sun."
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 29-04-2021 15:29
    I think it's important to note that often 'no added sugar' or 'refined sugar free' labels don't necessarily mean completely  'sugar free.' A lot of confectionary items are marketed with these terms & it can be misleading.  Personally, I would like to see a 'diabetes' label on items that include low carb & sugar free. Although progression, there is limiting options available.

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    Grace
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 03-05-2021 13:47

    I would like to answer your questions about labelling of food.. I HAVE ANSWERED IN CAPITALS SO YOU CAN EASILY SEE MY ANSWERS, I AM NOT YELLING

    • Do you regularly read the food labels of products you buy? 

     YES, 53+ YEARS AS T1, I HAVE ALWAYS READ FOOD LABLES/ VALUES AND INGREDIENTS BOTH FOR PRODUCTS I USUALLY BUY AND NEW PRODUCTS/ FOOD THAT IS AVAILABLE. FROM THIS I CHOOSE TO BUY OR NOT

     Do you do this only for new products, or for products you have consumed before?
    NO , AS STATE IN ABOVE QUESTION. Companies change their ingredients, so I check regularly. Even same named product made buy different companies have very different values. MacDonalds etc give me a very difficult time as they only give out calories in store which really is of little use for me. They do not give out yellow below labelling in store

    McDonald's Hamburger

    Nutrition Facts

    McDonald's Hamburger

    Sources include: USDA

    Amount Per 100 grams

    Calories 264

    % Daily Value*

    Total Fat 10 g

    15%

    Saturated fat 3.5 g

    17%

    Polyunsaturated fat 1.4 g

    Monounsaturated fat 3.8 g

    Trans fat regulation 0.4 g

    Cholesterol 27 mg

    9%

    Sodium 494 mg

    20%

    Potassium 192 mg

    5%

    Total Carbohydrate 30 g

    10%

    Dietary fiber 1.3 g

    5%

    Sugar 6 g

    Protein 13 g

    26%

     

    Vitamin A

    1%

    Vitamin C

    1%

    Calcium

    12%

    Iron

    16%

    Cobalamin

    13%

    Magnesium

    5%
    • What is the most difficult/annoying aspect of food labelling?

    SIZE OF PRINTING, IT IS MOST DIFFICULT TO READ SOME LABLES

    Do you rely on the health star rating, or do you still look at the more detailed components?

    NO, I look for labelling

    Would you like to see a 'diabetes' rating, or would that complicate your personal choices?

    NO, I DO SOMETIMES USE THE HEART TICK.

    What would be the components you would expect in a 'diabetes' rating?

    THIS WOULD BE THE ISSUE, AS WITH THE HEART TICK , NOT ALL FOODS/PRODUCTS CAN AFFORD TO APPLY THIS TICK WHICH LEAVES YOU BACK WERE WE ARE NOW. NO, GOOD EASY TO READ IN REASONABLE SIZE PRINT ABOUT NUTRITION VALUES IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED.


                   Thank you both for taking up this issue.

    Regards

    Gavin Waters

    Armidale



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    Gavin
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 04-05-2021 08:57
    I would like to support Gavin in his reply regarding size of fonts.
    The GI Factor would be useful but do realise that this is very expensive
    for Suppliers.

    As per McDonalds example, Carbs 30g, the spike I would get from this hamburger
    Is definitely not worth it, but I guess most of us realise this, but I still think the GI should play a part, especially on fast and convenience food, as I am not one who believes we can just eat anything and be well long term.

    Deanna

    Sent from my iPad


    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Food labelling - questions from the advocacy team

    Posted 20-05-2021 15:47
    I agree with pretty much everything already said:

    - I always read the Carb Content - even though you know it, it's good to re-confirm as recipes / ingredients do change
    - Fonts usually too small - thank goodness for mobile phones with cameras and the ability to magnify!
    - Yet more maths in needed with regard to carb g per portion, and seeing how that relates to the package size.  Manufacturers could make this easier.
    - A GI rating would be very useful.  You have a general idea what will be low or high GI, but a definitive rating would be useful.  For example, I've recently been diagnosed with Coeliac, so needed some Gluten Free cereal.  Bought both options of GF WeetBix.  Unsurprisingly, the one which tasted better spiked my levels.   Looking at the packaging, it has 2g more sugar in it - a GI rating would help you make better choices.  Those 2g made a big difference.

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    Phil
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    Original Message


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