Use Nutrition Label to Use Nutrition Label to Choose Healthy Food Choose Healthy Food (Abridged version)(Abridged version)

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Information on Food LabelsInformation on Food Labels

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Nutrition Information on Food LabelsNutrition Information on Food Labels::

Nutrition LabelNutrition Label

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Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling)Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling)(Amendment: Requirements for Nutrition Labelling(Amendment: Requirements for Nutrition Labelling

and Nutrition Claim) Regulation 2008and Nutrition Claim) Regulation 2008

Nutrition information on Food Labels

Nutrition Labelling Nutrition Claims

Nutrient content claims

Nutrient function claimsNutrient comparative claims

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Making Use of Nutrition LabelMaking Use of Nutrition Label

Consumers can: Compare the nutritional content among

different foods for a healthier choice, e.g. to choose food that is lower in fat, sodium (or salt) and sugars.

Understand the nutritional content of food and estimate their contribution to the overall diet.

To meet individual’s dietary needs.

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Three Simple Steps to Read Three Simple Steps to Read Nutrition LabelNutrition Label

Step 1  Take note of the reference amount of food

being used in the nutrition label Step 2  Read the energy and nutrient content together

with the reference amount Step 3  Refer to the percentage Nutrient Reference

Value (%NRV), if available, to see if the food contains a lot or a little of energy or a nutrient in the food

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Step 1: Step 1: Take note of the reference amount of food Take note of the reference amount of food

being used in the nutrition labelbeing used in the nutrition label

Expressed as per 100 g (or per 100 mL) of food

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Step 1: Step 1: Take note of the reference amount of food Take note of the reference amount of food

being used in the nutrition labelbeing used in the nutrition label

Expressed as per serving (the serving size (in g or mL) and the no. of servings must be specified on the package)

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Step 1: Step 1: Take note of the reference amount of food Take note of the reference amount of food

being used in the nutrition labelbeing used in the nutrition label

Expressed as per package (if the package contains only a single serving )

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Step 2A:Step 2A:Use nutrition label to Use nutrition label to

compare between productscompare between products

Products with nutritional content expresssed in the SAME reference amount

If reference amount is the SAME, you CAN COMPARE between the products DIRECTLY

(Partial) Nutrition label of Brand A biscuit (Partial) Nutrition label of Brand C biscuit

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Step 2A:Step 2A:Use nutrition label to Use nutrition label to

compare between productscompare between products Products with nutritional content expresssed in

DIFFERENT reference amounts

If reference amounts are DIFFERENT, you CANNOT COMPARE between the products DIRECTLY

(Partial) Nutrition label of Brand A biscuit (Partial) Nutrition label of Brand D biscuit

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Step 2:Step 2:Read the energy and nutrient content Read the energy and nutrient content

together with the reference amounttogether with the reference amount

Products with nutritional content expresssed in DIFFERENT reference amounts

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Step 2:Step 2:Read the energy and nutrient content Read the energy and nutrient content

together with the reference amounttogether with the reference amount

The more you eat, the more you get

If you eat 1 serving of biscuit Get 8 g of fat, 3.5 g of saturated fat

If you eat 2 servings of biscuit Get 16 g of fat, 7 g of saturated fat

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Step 3: Refer to the percentage Nutrient Reference Step 3: Refer to the percentage Nutrient Reference Value (%NRV), if available, to see if the food contains Value (%NRV), if available, to see if the food contains

a lot or a little of energy or a nutrient in the fooda lot or a little of energy or a nutrient in the food

Energy and nutrient content sometimes are expressed as a percentage which is usually on a scale from 0% to 100%.

Nutrition Label and Healthy EatingNutrition Label and Healthy Eating

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Principles of Healthy EatingPrinciples of Healthy Eating Choose a variety of food and eat cereals as

the largest portion of food in every meal. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruit. Reduce the consumption of foodstuffs with

high salt, fat and sugar content as well as those which are preserved.

A daily fluid intake of 6 to 8 glasses (including clear soup, fruit juice and tea).

Take meals regularly and in adequate amounts.

(Source of information: Department of Health)

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Nutrition Labelling is a Useful Tool fNutrition Labelling is a Useful Tool for Practising Healthy Eatingor Practising Healthy Eating

Nutrition label and nutrition claim can help consumers choose healthier food in accordance with healthy eating principles and the Food Pyramid, e.g. Choose biscuits lower in fat and sodium (or

salt) Choose dairy products lower in fat Choose beverages lower in sugars

Use Nutrition Labels to Choose Use Nutrition Labels to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food“3 Low” Prepackaged Food

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How to Choose “3 Low” How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged FoodPrepackaged Food

“3 Low”--- Low fat, Low sodium (or Low salt), Low sugars

1. Use nutrition claim as a quick screening tool; and

2. Take three simple steps to read nutrition label, and choose food lower in fat, sodium and sugars

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How to Choose “3 Low” How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged FoodPrepackaged Food

Claim Meaning of Claim

Free; No; Zero; Without;

Does not contain

Insignificant amount of a particular nutrient found in the food

Very low; Extremely low;

Super low

This category of claim applies to sodium only, meaning a very small amount of sodium found in the food

Low; Little; Low source; Few;

Contains a small amount of

A small amount of nutrient found in the food

The words below are considered as synonyms for nutrition claims, they may help you choose food with low/free fat, sodium or sugars:

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How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food – Example 1– Example 1

Milk Beverage A

Milk Beverage B

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How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food – Example 2– Example 2

Corn Flakes C Corn Flakes D

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How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food How to Choose “3 Low” Prepackaged Food – Example 3– Example 3

Soup E

Soup F

ENDEND

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Required Nutrients on Nutrition LabelsRequired Nutrients on Nutrition Labels

1+7 (energy plus seven nutrients specified for labelling) – i.e. energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, carbohydrates, sugars and sodium.

Nutrient(s) involved in nutrition claim(s) (when the nutrition claim is on any type of fat, the amount of cholesterol must be declared as well).

For other nutrients, declaration is voluntary.

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Control of Nutrition ClaimsControl of Nutrition Claims Nutrition claim means any representation which

states, suggests or implies that a food has particular nutritional properties.

From 1 July 2010, all nutrition claims must meet certain specified conditions, e.g.

Product with “Low sodium” claim should contain not more than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g/mL of food.

Product with “Low sugars” claim should contain not more than 5 g of sugars per 100 g/mL of food.

Nutrition claims on food labels and advertisements are all regulated.

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Wordings on Food Packages Wordings on Food Packages may be Blacked out or Coveredmay be Blacked out or Covered

Some nutrition claims may not meet certain specific criteria as required by the new Regulation in Hong Kong.

Therefore, traders might black out or cover the relevant wordings on the food packages.

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Wordings on Food Packages Wordings on Food Packages may be Blacked out or Coveredmay be Blacked out or Covered

Food products with low sales volume could be exempted from nutrition labelling if they do not carry any nutrition claims.

Therefore, some traders may black out or cover the wordings on these products’ packages in order to make their products exempted.

此乃豁免營養標籤產品Nutrition Labelling Exem

pted

此乃豁免營養標籤產品Nutrition Labelling Exempte

d

此乃豁免營養標籤產品Nutrition Labelling Exempted