The labelling of pre-packaged foodstuffs complies with specific rules. The list of ingredients and the possible presence of allergens are mandatory and must be given your full attention. The labelling is designed to help the consumer in their choices. It must be visible.

WHAT INFORMATION IS MENTIONED ON THE LABEL?

Six types of information are mandatory on the packaging:

• The sales name, i.e. the name under which the product is sold.
• The list of ingredients and additives used in the composition. The presence of allergens must be indicated at this level.
• The net quantity of the product that is actually consumable.
• The minimum durability date: period during which the product retains all its properties. For perishable or fragile foods, this date is replaced by the DLC: use-by date. Non-perishable food products, but whose taste or appearance are likely to be altered by time, have a DLUO: best-before date. The BBD is generally preceded by the words "Best before...".
• The manufacturer's contact details.
• The batch number.

Other information is optional:

The nutritional table: nutritional values ​​and recommended daily allowances (RDA).
Nutritional claims, for example "source of fiber", "rich in vitamin C", or health claims such as "reduces cardiovascular risk" require more complete nutritional labeling.
Labels: Organic farming, Red Label, AOC, European EEC Label.

HOW CAN I KNOW THE QUANTITY OF EACH INGREDIENT THAT ENTERS INTO THE COMPOSITION?

The quantity of each ingredient is not always mentioned. However, the list of ingredients and additives is complete and they must be presented in descending order of weight in the finished product. Thus, an industrial dish whose list of ingredients begins with "vegetable fat" has vegetable fat as its main ingredient. Industrial vegetable fats are often hydrogenated, i.e. saturated. They are therefore bad for your health (source of bad cholesterol). Thus, it is better to choose a similar product in which this mention appears further down the list. As for sugar, its quantity is mentioned in the ingredients. In some cases, the total sugar content is specified. This concerns products containing naturally sweetening ingredients, such as fruit in jam. The sugar content, in this case, includes natural sugars and added sugars. If the product is only and naturally sweetened by the ingredients it contains, the mention "no added sugar" will be noted. According to the same principle, you can judge the quantity of additives according to their place in this list.

This information is useful for:

• Identifying the relative quantities of each component.
• Checking for the possible presence of allergens.

HOW ARE CHEESES LABELED?

Concerning cheeses, since July 1, 2007, the percentage of fat in cheeses is displayed in relation to the weight of the finished product, and no longer in relation to the dry weight. White cheeses, which are rich in water, have gone from 20% fat to 4%. The same display applies to hard or soft cheeses. Some cheeses mention the nutritional intake of lipids and proteins, but also the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium.

WHAT IS IN THE NUTRITIONAL TABLE?

This table is only mandatory for foods with a nutritional claim (on vitamins, fiber, fats, calcium, etc.). It mentions, for a portion of food or for 100 g, the energy value, the protein, carbohydrate (sugar) and lipid (fat) contents and sometimes details the type of fats and sugars; it provides information on sodium, vitamin and mineral content. It also mentions the recommended daily intake of calcium, vitamins, etc. The specific name of each ingredient is mandatory, but can be misleading. Assimilable carbohydrates can be labeled "carbohydrates" or differentiated into sugars (simple sugars), starch (complex sugars) and polyols. The term "sugar" corresponds to the amount of glucose, or fructose, or sucrose. Polyols have little effect on blood sugar levels and provide only 2.4 kcal per gram compared to 4 kcal per gram for simple sugars. Lipids (or fatty acids) can be distinguished into saturated, unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Oils that are hydrogenated (saturated fatty acids) are not recommended for cardiovascular health. If they are not hydrogenated, the manufacturer usually specifies this. Salt (sodium chloride) is sometimes indicated as "sodium". 

The presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the composition of the food is indicated, if the product contains more than 1%, under the following statement: "produced from genetically modified components".

This information is useful for:

• Choosing products with the lowest sugar or derivative content (sugars indicated in the middle or at the end of the list).
• The same advice applies to choosing according to oils or fats, salt, etc.
• Buy the simplest foods.

HOW TO IDENTIFY ADDITIVES?

Additives are used either to improve the preservation, color, taste, appearance of the food, or to facilitate its manufacture. They can be of natural or chemical origin. But some can cause allergies, minor digestive problems, or have been suspected of promoting certain diseases. Additives are indicated by the letter E, followed by a numerical code indicating which family they belong to. E 100: colorants. E 200: preservatives. E 300: antioxidants or antioxidants. E 400: texturizing agents. E 500: anti-caking agents. E 600: flavor enhancers. E 700: flavoring agent. E 800: flavorings. E 900: sweeteners.

This information is useful for:

• Ensuring the possible presence of allergens.
• Check that the list of additives does not represent the majority of ingredients.

CAN I TRUST THE HEALTH CLAIMS ON CERTAIN PRODUCTS?

Health claims are subject to strict rules that are evolving to protect the consumer. They only appear on products whose component or substance is in sufficient quantity to have a beneficial and scientifically proven nutritional or physiological effect.
The manufacturer may mention that an ingredient contained in the product is beneficial for an organ or contributes to improving health, "as part of a balanced diet" or in addition to an appropriate treatment. It is forbidden to mention that a product alone or one of its ingredients can prevent or cure a disease.
Always take the time to read the label before buying. Choose products made with natural ingredients and products with the shortest list of ingredients (therefore containing fewer colorants, stabilizers, gelling agents, various additives, etc.).