Photo: marcospozo / Flickr

If you’ve ever felt confused by the food labels you see in supermarkets, you’re not alone. A recent survey shows that many consumers find terms like ‘natural’, ‘fresh’, and ‘real’ misleading. The claims on the labels go largely unregulated, so who’s to blame shoppers for getting the wrong impression as a result of trusting food producers’ claims?

Flavoured with the truth

A word that causes particular confusion when it comes to food labeling is ‘flavour’. Food that has a particular ‘flavour’ need not contain any of the product from which that flavour comes; in fact, the Department for Environmental, Food, and Rural Affairs considers ‘flavour’ to actually mean that artificial flavouring has been used. Strawberry flavoured yoghurt may never have even seen a strawberry.

Juicy news

Juice is another problem area. The term ‘juice drink’ is not governed by any restrictions, although ‘fruit juice’ and ‘juice from concentrate’ are. Some of juice drinks contain as little as five per cent juice concentrate.

Strictly governed

Photo: rosipaw / Flickr

Two terms which can only be used under very specific circumstances are ‘organic’ and ‘free range’. What about what the label doesn’t tell you? While regulations say that labels shouldn’t mislead consumers, many products contain lots of hidden sugar or fats that mean they’re far less healthy than you might imagine.

Check it out

If you’re worried about the nutritional information in the food you’re eating, check the labels very closely so that you can make informed choices. If you’re not satisfied, then try organic options or stick to what you’ve made at home as much as possible – freshly squeezed fruit juice at breakfast or homemade yoghurt may take a little longer, but you’ll certainly benefit in the long run.

Tags: Organic food