food label
Question Description
HE 120: FOOD LABELS
Food Labels are the “best source of consumer information.”90% of ALL processed and packaged foods must have a “consumer friendly” label. The new nutrition label (1994) features more consistent serving sizes and must include the following dietary components:
♦ Total calories♦ Calories from fats
♦ Total fat content♦ Amount of Saturated fats
♦ Cholesterol♦ Protein grams
♦ Fat grams♦ Carbohydrate grams
♦ Sodium♦ Dietary fiber
♦ Vitamin A♦ Iron
♦ Vitamin C♦ Calcium
The foods exempt from food labeling regulations are those with no appreciable amount of nutrients OR whose content varies from batch to batch, such as:
♦ Deli and bakery items
♦ Plain unflavored teas & coffees
♦ Various spices & flavorings
♦ Food sold in restaurants
♦ Labels are “voluntary” for fresh fruits & vegetables, fresh
meats, poultry or fish.
The nutrition label (chart) must display serving size, nutrients per serving and % of daily values. The nutrition information applies to one serving; if you ate two servings, you consumed twice the amount of calories and other nutrients listed on the label.
1. Collect 5 food labels and write the name of the food item AND the serving size of each below. Keep THESE labels in order throughout this assignment so you do not have to continue writing label name.
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2a.The ingredient list on packaged food gives an OVERVIEW of the recipe with the ingredients listed from MOST to least. Food manufacturers must list all ingredients in descending order by weight.
☺ List the first 4 ingredients from each of your labels.
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2b. The ingredients list offers useful information – especially for people with special food needs, health reasons or religious reasons.
a.) Some people must avoid pork, shellfish or other meats for religious reasons.
b.) Some people have food allergies or food sensitivities to peanuts, eggs, milk, sugar, wheat, artificial colors, etc.
2c. Do any of your food labels contain any special health “WARNINGS?”
(i.e. contains Phenylalanine)? List:
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3.Compare your labels to each other. Write the Total Calories from each
item for one serving.
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☺ Which of your items has the GREATEST number of calories per serving size? ________________
4.Write the Total Fat content in grams for each of your items.
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5.Which of your items has the greatest amount of Fat in grams/serving?
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6.Which of your items contains Saturated fatty acids?
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☺ Which item has the greatest amount of Saturated Fat?
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7. List the amount of Protein grams per serving in each of your items.
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☺ Which item has the greatest protein value per serving size?
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8. Which of your items has cholesterol?
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☺ Which item has the greatest amount of cholesterol?
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9.List the mg of sodium from each item below.
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☺ Which item has the greatest amount of sodium?
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10. Which item has the greatest amount of Iron? (%)
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11. Which item has the greatest amount of Calcium? (%)
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12. Which item has the greatest amount of Vitamin A? ( %)
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13. Which item has the greatest amount of Vitamin C? (%)
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14. Do any of your labels have any KOSHER symbols? (Kosher, Parev,
Parve, Star-K, OU, OK, K) This means that this item meets strict
government “safety” inspection, as well as standards of a Jewish
Food Inspector.
List:
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15. The FDA and the USDA has approved certain health claims that can be used on food labels. They are;
♦ Calcium preventing osteoporosis.
♦ Fat and its association with cancer.
♦ Saturated fat and cholesterol and heart disease.
♦ A high-fiber grain product preventing some cancers.
♦ Folate and neural tube defects (Women need to consume 400
micrograms of folate daily to reduce their risk)
♦ Fruits and vegetables reducing certain cancers.
♦ Sodium and its relationship to high blood pressure.
♦ Fruits/vegetables/grains and the reduction of heart disease.
☺ Do any of your labels make these claims?
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16. Are there any “safe-handling” instructions on your food labels?
♦ Keep refrigerated or frozen
♦ Cook thoroughly
♦ Keep hot foods hot/refrigerate leftovers
♦ Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods
♦ Wash working surfaces (cutting boards), hands, utensils after
touching raw meat or poultry
☺ Do any of your labels have these instructions?
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17. Food manufacturers use three types of dates on packaging.
♦ “Sell by” or pull date….The last day a food should be sold.
♦ Pack date: When the food was manufactured, processed or
packaged.
♦ “Best if used by” date: For optimal quality, best if used by that date.
☺ Which of your items has these dates?
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18. Did any of your food items surprise you with its contents or
ingredients?
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