Food labeling is a compulsory regulation and a means of communication all food and beverage companies have to follow for informative and health purposes of consumers.
Consumers in most cases focus on the health, wellness, and social status of the food products they purchase amidst the relevant details required by the regulatory body on each product.
The regulation requires clear and accurate labeling to ensure that consumers make informed decisions without putting their lives at risk.
Failure of a food and beverage company to accurately label their products could lead to serious fines and closure of some of these companies since they are endangering consumers’ lives.
Some of the consumers’ demands;
Consumers demand the manufacturing and expiry dates of products to ensure their purchases are fresh and still in good condition.
They also demand additives and allergen information about the different foods to avoid allergic health complications.
Labeling on the other hand gives consumers the chance to compare similar products from different manufacturers and make a choice depending on what’s suits them best.
However, most regulation requires the following product information be included on the labels clearly and accurately;
- Name and description of the product to prevent mistaking the true nature of the food with a different food or beverage.
- The net weight of the product without any packaging is also required so as to prevent faulty measurements by consumers.
- Date markings of the products providing the expiry and manufacture dates. This visibly prevents the purchase and consumption of expired goods.
- The ingredient list is a must on the food label and it should be written according to the descending order of the proportion of ingredients used. In most cases people go through the ingredient list to identify the nutrients they’ll obtain from consuming a specific food or beverage.
- The Nutrition information panel is also necessary. The energy contained in the different food components should be included on the label for the dietary use of consumers.
- Allergy warnings and declarations. This is a health measure put in place for consumers’ safety.
- Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor or importer should be indicated to trace back the product to its manufacturer in case of any problems.
- Storage instructions so as to preserve the products before use or when being used. This way, the consumer gets to use the products for a longer time.
- Lot or batch number. This is for the purpose of recalling products in case of manufacturing errors or any accidents.
The good news is that, as a manufacturer, you can use flaxem to consolidate all your product information.
This information can easily be discovered since it is linked to a labeling module which appears automatically from the database when required.