Deciphering a food label: instructions for use

In stores, reading a label is a real headache. However, this step is essential when you want to pay attention to your consumption. This is why we have detailed, point by point, the information on the labels.

Food legislation is strictly regulated by the European Council and Parliament. It imposes two fundamental rules: the labeling “objectively informs the consumer”* or the consumer, and must also be “fair and precise”*. The information must be written in French and include a certain number of mandatory information.

Mandatory information

The sales name

Or more simply, the name of the food product.

Identification of the manufacturer, packager or seller

This includes his name, as well as his address. The consumer thus knows where to contact them in the event of a complaint or request for information. A telephone number can also be entered.
If the company has subcontracted the packaging of the product to a service provider, the latter's contact details are also mentioned, preceded by the packaging code (“EMB” acronym and the company's postal code).

The manufacturing batch number

It makes it possible to identify and trace “a set of sales units of a foodstuff which was produced, manufactured or packaged in identical circumstances”**. When product recalls are made for health reasons, the batch number indicates precisely which foodstuffs are affected.

The origin

The place of breeding and slaughter is mandatory for meat, plus the place of birth for beef. Products can claim French origin if the ingredients are also of French origin. If this is not the case, the manufacturer is required to indicate that the product was “manufactured/developed/cooked in France”. The origin of the primary ingredient, an ingredient present at more than 50% in the product, is specified if it differs from that of the final product.

The list of ingredients

All the ingredients making up the product are listed in descending order of importance. The proportions are not always listed, but the presence of an ingredient at the top or bottom of the list gives us clues about its proportion. For example, the list of ingredients of a famous spread:
“sugar, vegetable fat (palm), hazelnuts (13%), skimmed milk powder (8.7%), low-fat cocoa powder (7.4%), emulsifiers (lecithins (soy)) (0.43%) (INS 322), flavoring (0.075%). »
Sugar is therefore the ingredient in the greatest quantity in this recipe. Since it appears before the hazelnuts, present at 13%, this means that the spread contains at least 13% sugar.
Allergens are bolded and underlined, sometimes written in capital letters.

Additives

“Lecithins”, “curcumin”, “lactic acid”… These industrial or natural inputs aim to preserve the product, improve its taste or modify its color. They must appear on the labels, either with their full name “xanthan gum” or with their E code “E415”. In Europe, more than 300 food additives are authorized, so it would be difficult to learn them all by heart. However, you can already recognize them by their category:

  • “E1XX” for colorants
  • “E2XX” for food preservatives
  • “E3XX” for antioxidants
  • “E4XX” for texturing agents “E14XX” for modified starches
  • “E5XX” for other categories including sweeteners, acidity regulators, flavor enhancers and acidifiers…

Although their use is regulated, it remains controversial. UFC-Que Choisir has notably published its evaluation of food additives, with an assessment ranging from “acceptable” to “avoid”. Otherwise, certain applications like Yucca allow you to directly scan products in store and provide clarification on the ingredients.

Nutritional values

It has been mandatory since 2016 on prepackaged products, with a few exceptions such as tea or unprocessed products. The nutritional declaration must take the form of a table; indicate the energy value (in kilocalorie and kilojoule), the quantity per 100 g of “fats, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt”. The quantity per serving of daily intake, unsaturated fatty acids, sweeteners, starches, fiber, vitamins and mineral salts are not essential.

The weight

It corresponds to the net quantity of the product, in mass or in liquid. Products preserved in liquid such as canned fish must state the net weight as well as the drained net weight.

Instructions for use and storage

If they are necessary for the use or conservation of the product. For a frozen prepared meal for example:

  • “Preheat your oven to thermostat 7 (210°C). Remove the packaging. Place the dish on a rack halfway up, let heat for 20 minutes. »
  • “Before opening: X days in the ice compartment of the refrigerator. Until the date indicated on the packaging in the freezer at –18°C Never refreeze a thawed product. »

Or for cookies:
“Store away from heat and humidity. »

DLC and DDM

The use-by date indicates how long to keep a food, often a fresh product such as yogurt, meat, prepared meals, etc. It is generally preceded by the words “use until”. Beyond that, it is strongly recommended not to consume the product, as it may present health risks.
It should not be confused with the “minimum durability date”, which concerns dry products. The words “best consumed before” are not mandatory. It only indicates that once the date has passed, the product risks losing its taste and nutritional qualities.
Note that certain foods such as sugar, flour or honey never expire, and that most products with a shelf life are still good a week later.

Other mandatory information

  • For drinks containing more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, the actual alcoholic strength by volume, or more commonly the alcohol content, is required.
  • The man in green who throws waste in the trash, aptly called “triman”, indicates that the product is recyclable.
  • If the food has undergone treatment (pasteurization, freezing, freeze-drying, etc.), it must be indicated.
  • The fat content of cheeses.
  • The health stamp on products of animal origin, certifying compliance with good food hygiene practices.

Optional mentions

They are generally indicated with the aim of transparency or to highlight the product.

The labels

Label Rouge, AOP, AB, IGP, Bleu-Blanc-Coeur… Labeled products comply with precise specifications. Labels are also a guarantee of quality, know-how or provenance.

The nutri-score

Since 2016, manufacturers can add the nutri-score to food labels. The objective is to give consumers the opportunity to quickly assess the nutritional qualities of a product, by giving it a grade from A to E. The score is calculated based on caloric intake, fat content , sugars, salt, protein fibers, etc. The lower the result obtained, the more highly rated it is (we know, there is more obvious logical reasoning).
In its early days, the nutri-score received a lot of criticism. Olive oil, high in fat but good for your health, has obtained a D, the same grade as packets of candy. However, these calculation methods tend to evolve to take more parameters into account. We advise you not to just rely on the nutri-score to buy a food.

Nutritional and health claims

According to the DGCCRF, these are “statements, images or symbols promoting foodstuffs from a nutritional or health perspective”. The nutritional claim gives information relating to the nutrient contained in the product, e.g.: “rich in protein”, “low in fat”, “sugar-free”… The health claim indicates a benefit for health, e.g.: “good for the heart/memory/transition…”.
If their conditions of use are strictly regulated by law, some are misleading. A “reduced in…” product must contain at least 25% less sugar, fat or salt than the original product of the same brand. This does not mean that it is the best choice across all brands. Also be careful to check the rest of the nutritional information for the food in question. UFC-Que Choisir noted in particular in January 2023 that a certain number of “low sugar” products would actually be higher in fat.

The barcode

Although most prepackaged foods have a barcode, it is not mandatory. In France, it is made up of 13 digits: the first three for the country of origin (300 to 379 for France), 3e at 7ethe manufacturer's number, from 8e at 12ethe manufacturer's product number and finally, the 13e East the control key to validate the barcode.

We admit, retaining so much information and deciphering each label is tedious. In a perfect world, we would all eat raw, unprocessed products and consume organic and local products. But reality being what it is, learning to read a food label is a first step towards eating better.

* Foodstuffs: what are the labeling rules?, www.economie.gouv.fr
**Article R.412-3 of the Consumer Code

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