The main aim of my thesis is to introduce and analyze the legal field of food labeling. The topic is really current, because the fundamental laws governing the matter, ie. The Act no. 110/1997 Coll. and Regulation no. 1169/2011, were recently revised. This thesis is divided into six parts, which are focused on the main principles and rules of this legal area, sources of law, mandatory and voluntary food labels, a remote sale of food and brands of food quality. At the end of my thesis I summarize the pros and cons of the new legislation and I think about possible amendments, which could be beneficial for both consumers and food business operators.

O enorme desenvolvimento que tem ocorrido na área alimentícia gera a necessidade de legislações que regulamentem o setor nos âmbitos de qualidade, segurança e rotulagem. Entretanto, o cumprimento das legislações muitas vezes não tem sido observado. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de verificar a conformidade da rotulagem de algumas categorias de produtos alimentícios comercializados na cidade de São Paulo frente à legislação brasileira em vigor, analisando dados quantitativos e qualitativos da conformidade e da não-conformidade dos rótulos dos alimentos frente à legislação e apresentando propostas para sua melhoria. Foram analisadas 11 categorias de produtos alimentícios de grande consumo pela população (tais como leites, chocolates e sorvetes) e 2 categorias de produtos para grupos populacionais específicos (alimentos infantis e alimentos para praticantes de atividade física). Dos 52 rótulos analisados, 80,8% apresentaram no mínimo um tipo de não-conformidade frente à legislação vigente, e apenas 19,2% estavam plenamente de acordo com o estabelecido na legislação brasileira. Entre as categorias analisadas, a categoria que apresentou maior número de itens não-conformes foi a categoria de alimentos para praticantes de atividade física. Com relação ao número de rótulos não-confomes, quatro categorias (bombons, leites UHT, biscoitos e alimentos infantis) apresentaram 100% de rótulos não-confomes, ou seja, para estas categorias todos os rótulos analisados não atendiam ao estabelecido na legislação. Já com relação ao tipo de irregularidade, a tabela nutricional foi o item avaliado que apresentou maior número de irregularidades. Desta forma, alguns itens da legislação são discutidos, tais como a previsão em legislação do uso de valores diários de referência considerando as necessidades nutricionais de crianças quando o produto for destinado ao público infantil, a fim de proporcionar uma melhor adequação dos rótulos às necessidades dos consumidores. / The huge development that has occurred in the food sector generates the necessity of laws regulating the industry in the areas of quality, safety and labeling. However, compliance with legislation is not always observed. This work is intended to verify conformity of labeling of some categories of food products sold in São Paulo city with Brazilian legislation in force, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data compliance and non-compliance of food product labels with legislation and to submit proposals for their improvement. Eleven categories of food products of large consumption by the population have been analyzed (such as milk, chocolate and ice cream) and two categories of products for specific population groups (infant food and food products for practitioners of physical activity). From the 52 labels analyzed, 80.8% presented at least one type of non-conformity with legislation and only 19.2% were fully in accordance with the established in the Brazilian legislation. Among categories analyzed, the one presenting the largest amount of non-compliant items was the food category for practitioners of physical activity. With respect to the number of noncompliant labels, four categories (chocolates, UHT milk, biscuits and infant food) presented 100% non-compliant labels, meaning that for these categories all labels analyzed did not meet the legislation standards. With respect to the type of nonconformity, the nutritional table was the item analyzed which presented the largest number of irregularities. This way, some items of the legislation are discussed, such as stipulating by legislation the use of daily values of reference considering children nutritional necessities when the food product is intended for the childrens\' segment, in order to provide a proper adequacy of labels to consumer\'s necessities.

Introdução. A epidemia global de obesidade e suas consequências ocorrem simultaneamente a uma maior consciência quanto às escolhas que promovem a saúde, padrões estéticos cada vez mais magros e oferta crescente de alimentos industrializados de alta densidade calórica, saborosos e práticos. Este cenário estimula a indústria de alimentos a utilizar apelos de saúde como estratégia de concorrência. Objetivo. Analisar a utilização de apelos de saúde e outras estratégias de incentivo ao consumo presentes na rotulagem de alimentos industrializados, sua coerência com os teores de calorias, gorduras, açúcares e sal presentes nesses alimentos e sua convergência com a legislação pertinente. Metodologia. A definição de teores elevados de calorias, gorduras, açúcares e sódio e dos quesitos que nortearam a análise foi feita a partir da legislação pertinente e da literatura. Um formulário foi criado e a análise baseou-se nas informações declaradas na rotulagem pelo fabricante. A categoria estudada foi Biscoitos e Salgadinhos. Os produtos foram escolhidos pela análise do gasto das famílias paulistanas com alimentação a partir da base de micro dados da Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar (POF), da Fundação Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas (FIPE). Foram identificadas 64 marcas e adquiridos 209 produtos em supermercados da cidade de São Paulo. Foram avaliados densidade calórica, teores de açúcar, gorduras saturada e trans, e sódio. Quatro dos quesitos tratam de diversas formas de estímulo ao consumo (apelos de saúde, selos de certificação, brindes e prêmios e apresentação do produto); o último trata da obrigatoriedade de informar os teores de gorduras, açúcar e sódio em destaque. Produtos com um ou mais teores elevados não deveriam apresentar nenhuma ação relativa aos quatro primeiros quesitos, e todos deveriam atender ao último, por ser exigência legal. Resultados. A totalidade dos produtos apresentou densidade calórica elevada e para 99% a quantidade de Kcal/100g foi maior que o dobro do limite; 48% não informaram os teores de açúcar separadamente; 22% declararam quantidades elevadas de açúcar; 64% apresentaram teores elevados de gordura saturada. Mais da metade dos produtos continha gordura vegetal, mas declarou 0% de gordura trans na porção; 35% eram alimentos livres de gordura vegetal; 53% apresentaram teores de sódio elevados sendo 17% entre 50% e 100% acima e 20%, mais que o dobro do limite. Noventa e quatro por cento dos produtos apresentaram teores concomitantemente elevados; 27%, calorias, gordura saturada e sódio; 20%, calorias e sódio e 17%, calorias e gordura saturada. Setenta e um por cento dos produtos com um ou mais dos teores elevados utilizaram apelos de saúde na sua rotulagem; 4%, selos de certificação de sociedades médicas; 6% bonificações, prêmios ou brindes e 16%, embalagens especiais; 66% dos produtos não apresentaram teores de gorduras, açúcar e sódio em destaque apesar de esta ser exigência legal. Conclusão. Os produtos estudados apresentaram um ou mais dos teores avaliados acima dos parâmetros estabelecidos; apelos de saúde e outras estratégias de marketing nutricional foram identificados em produtos que não deveriam ser associados a uma alimentação saudável ou ter seu consumo incentivado. / Introduction. The global epidemic of obesity and its consequences occur simultaneously to a greater awareness of the choices that promote health, aesthetic standards increasingly thin and an increasing availability of foods of high caloric density, tasty and practical. This scenario encourages the food industry to use health claims as competitive strategy. Objective. To analyze the use of health claims and other strategies to boost consumption present in food labeling, the consistency with the levels of calories, fat, sugar and salt in these products and its convergence with relevant legislation. Methodology. The definition of high levels of calories, fats, sugars and sodium and the questions that guided the analysis were based was based on the relevant legislation and the literature. A form was created and the analysis was based on the information declared on the label by the manufacturer. The category studied was Cookies and Snacks. Products were chosen by the analysis of the household spending from Sao Paulo city with food from the Household Budget Survey (POF) database, run by Economic Research Institute Foundation (FIPE). Sixty four brands were identified and 209 products were purchased in supermarkets in the city of São Paulo. Energy density, sugar content, saturated and trans fats, and sodium were evaluated. Four of the questions dealt with various forms of promotion (health claims, certification, gifts and prizes and product presentation) and one with the obligation to highlight the levels of fat, sugar and sodium. Products with high levels of one or more of these contents should not present any elements relating to the first four questions, and all of them should serve the latter, because it is a legal requirement. Results. All the products showed high caloric density and for 99% of them the amount of Kcal/100g was higher than twice the threshold; 48% did not report sugar levels separately; 22% informed high amounts of sugar; 64% had elevated levels of saturated fat. More than half of the products contained vegetable fat, but stated 0% trans-fat per portion; 35% were vegetable fat free products; 53% of the sample showed elevated levels of sodium; 17% informed sodium levels between 50% and 100% above while 20% report more than double the limit . Ninety-four percent of the products showed high levels simultaneously; 27%, calories, sodium and saturated fat; 20%, calories and sodium and 17%, saturated fat and calories. Seventy-one percent of the products with one or more elevated levels used health claims in its labeling; 4% presented medical societies seal certification, 16% used special packaging and 6% offered bonuses, prizes or giveaways; 66% of the products did not show the levels of fat, sugar and sodium highlighted despite it being a legal requirement. Conclusion. The products included in this study had one or more of the assessed levels above established parameters; health claims and other marketing strategies were identified in nutritional products that should not be associated with healthy eating or have their consumption encouraged.

Introdução. A epidemia global de obesidade e suas consequências ocorrem simultaneamente a uma maior consciência quanto às escolhas que promovem a saúde, padrões estéticos cada vez mais magros e oferta crescente de alimentos industrializados de alta densidade calórica, saborosos e práticos. Este cenário estimula a indústria de alimentos a utilizar apelos de saúde como estratégia de concorrência. Objetivo. Analisar a utilização de apelos de saúde e outras estratégias de incentivo ao consumo presentes na rotulagem de alimentos industrializados, sua coerência com os teores de calorias, gorduras, açúcares e sal presentes nesses alimentos e sua convergência com a legislação pertinente. Metodologia. A definição de teores elevados de calorias, gorduras, açúcares e sódio e dos quesitos que nortearam a análise foi feita a partir da legislação pertinente e da literatura. Um formulário foi criado e a análise baseou-se nas informações declaradas na rotulagem pelo fabricante. A categoria estudada foi Biscoitos e Salgadinhos. Os produtos foram escolhidos pela análise do gasto das famílias paulistanas com alimentação a partir da base de micro dados da Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar (POF), da Fundação Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas (FIPE). Foram identificadas 64 marcas e adquiridos 209 produtos em supermercados da cidade de São Paulo. Foram avaliados densidade calórica, teores de açúcar, gorduras saturada e trans, e sódio. Quatro dos quesitos tratam de diversas formas de estímulo ao consumo (apelos de saúde, selos de certificação, brindes e prêmios e apresentação do produto); o último trata da obrigatoriedade de informar os teores de gorduras, açúcar e sódio em destaque. Produtos com um ou mais teores elevados não deveriam apresentar nenhuma ação relativa aos quatro primeiros quesitos, e todos deveriam atender ao último, por ser exigência legal. Resultados. A totalidade dos produtos apresentou densidade calórica elevada e para 99% a quantidade de Kcal/100g foi maior que o dobro do limite; 48% não informaram os teores de açúcar separadamente; 22% declararam quantidades elevadas de açúcar; 64% apresentaram teores elevados de gordura saturada. Mais da metade dos produtos continha gordura vegetal, mas declarou 0% de gordura trans na porção; 35% eram alimentos livres de gordura vegetal; 53% apresentaram teores de sódio elevados sendo 17% entre 50% e 100% acima e 20%, mais que o dobro do limite. Noventa e quatro por cento dos produtos apresentaram teores concomitantemente elevados; 27%, calorias, gordura saturada e sódio; 20%, calorias e sódio e 17%, calorias e gordura saturada. Setenta e um por cento dos produtos com um ou mais dos teores elevados utilizaram apelos de saúde na sua rotulagem; 4%, selos de certificação de sociedades médicas; 6% bonificações, prêmios ou brindes e 16%, embalagens especiais; 66% dos produtos não apresentaram teores de gorduras, açúcar e sódio em destaque apesar de esta ser exigência legal. Conclusão. Os produtos estudados apresentaram um ou mais dos teores avaliados acima dos parâmetros estabelecidos; apelos de saúde e outras estratégias de marketing nutricional foram identificados em produtos que não deveriam ser associados a uma alimentação saudável ou ter seu consumo incentivado. / Introduction. The global epidemic of obesity and its consequences occur simultaneously to a greater awareness of the choices that promote health, aesthetic standards increasingly thin and an increasing availability of foods of high caloric density, tasty and practical. This scenario encourages the food industry to use health claims as competitive strategy. Objective. To analyze the use of health claims and other strategies to boost consumption present in food labeling, the consistency with the levels of calories, fat, sugar and salt in these products and its convergence with relevant legislation. Methodology. The definition of high levels of calories, fats, sugars and sodium and the questions that guided the analysis were based was based on the relevant legislation and the literature. A form was created and the analysis was based on the information declared on the label by the manufacturer. The category studied was Cookies and Snacks. Products were chosen by the analysis of the household spending from Sao Paulo city with food from the Household Budget Survey (POF) database, run by Economic Research Institute Foundation (FIPE). Sixty four brands were identified and 209 products were purchased in supermarkets in the city of São Paulo. Energy density, sugar content, saturated and trans fats, and sodium were evaluated. Four of the questions dealt with various forms of promotion (health claims, certification, gifts and prizes and product presentation) and one with the obligation to highlight the levels of fat, sugar and sodium. Products with high levels of one or more of these contents should not present any elements relating to the first four questions, and all of them should serve the latter, because it is a legal requirement. Results. All the products showed high caloric density and for 99% of them the amount of Kcal/100g was higher than twice the threshold; 48% did not report sugar levels separately; 22% informed high amounts of sugar; 64% had elevated levels of saturated fat. More than half of the products contained vegetable fat, but stated 0% trans-fat per portion; 35% were vegetable fat free products; 53% of the sample showed elevated levels of sodium; 17% informed sodium levels between 50% and 100% above while 20% report more than double the limit . Ninety-four percent of the products showed high levels simultaneously; 27%, calories, sodium and saturated fat; 20%, calories and sodium and 17%, saturated fat and calories. Seventy-one percent of the products with one or more elevated levels used health claims in its labeling; 4% presented medical societies seal certification, 16% used special packaging and 6% offered bonuses, prizes or giveaways; 66% of the products did not show the levels of fat, sugar and sodium highlighted despite it being a legal requirement. Conclusion. The products included in this study had one or more of the assessed levels above established parameters; health claims and other marketing strategies were identified in nutritional products that should not be associated with healthy eating or have their consumption encouraged.

The power dynamics of consumerism is an important aspect of contemporary consumer culture. Within the field of marketing and consumption, consumer culture theory (CCT) tends to understand power in terms of agency, the ability of consumers to emancipate from a market infused by the culture of consumerism. As such, CCT assumes a repressive hypothesis of power, as if consumerism was an external reality from which agentic consumers can escape by acts of dialectical opposition. In contrast, through a Foucauldian approach, the present study emphasizes the productive side of power, arguing that consumerism operates beyond dialectical oppositions to constitute consumption at different levels of scale – at the macro, meso and micro levels. More specifically, through qualitative data generated from official documents and interviews with state agency officials, consumers, and food manufacturers and retailers, the study undertakes a discourse analysis of date labeling in the food market. In accounting for the regulative, organizational and performative dimensions of consumption, the case of date labeling makes it possible to study consumerism at the intersection of the state, business and consumers. The study argues that consumption is constituted through a multiplicity of mundane power struggles that arise in the wake of date labeling. As such, it extends previous approaches by suggesting an extra-dialectical theory of consumer culture. Further, it argues that date labeling reinforces the mind/body dualism of consumerism by privileging cognition and choice at the cost of the human embodiment and sensory perception. It concludes that empowered performativity does not represent a negation of power, but that it emerges as a product of power and the consumerist attempt to constitute effective, predictable, responsible and controlled consumption. However, future research should continue studying the dominant institutional conditions of particular consumption contexts.

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

Maisto reklamos ir ženklinimo tyrimas buvo atliekamas, tikslu išsiaiškinti ir įvertinti Lietuvos gyventojų žinias apie maisto produktų ženklinimą, jo trūkumus bei apie reklamuojamų maisto produktų pasirinkimą. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. ištirti ir įvertinti vartotojų supratimą apie maisto produktų etiketėse pateiktą ženklinimo informaciją; 2. ištirti ir įvertinti respondentų nuomonę apie maisto produktų etikečių įskaitomumą; 3. ištirti ir įvertinti maisto produktų reklamos įtaką jų pasirinkimui. Tyrimui buvo atrinkta 3500 Lietuvos suaugusių gyventojų. Anketinės apklausos būdu atlikus Lietuvos gyventojų apklausą, buvo gauta 2418 teisingai atsakytų anketų. Tyrimo atsako dažnis 69,1 proc. Respondentų buvo klausiama – kas daugiausia suteikia žinių apie mitybą, kas įtakoja produkto pasirinkimą, ar suprantama pateikta informacija ant maisto produkto pakuotės ir kiti klausimai. Tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad pagrindiniai šaltiniai, kurie respondentams suteikia žinių apie mitybą, yra televizija, radijas (55,9 proc.) ir spauda (24,9 proc.). Respondentai atsakė, kad maisto produktų pasirinkimą įtakoja tinkamumo vartoti terminas (82,3 proc.), kilmės šalis (30,4 proc.) ir kaina (38,3 proc.). Dauguma apklaustųjų tik kartais aiškiai perskaito etiketėse pateiktą informaciją (62,1 proc.), o 59,8 proc. apklaustųjų ją supranta tik iš dalies. 73,4 proc. respondentų mano, kad reikia pagerinti produktų etikečių įskaitomumą ir 47,6 proc. mano, kad tai reikėtų padaryti nustatant minimalų šrifto dydį. Net 70... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this research on food products advertisement and labeling was to find out and evaluate knowledge about food labeling among Lithuanian adult population, food labeling weaknesses, as well as advertised products purchase. The Task of Research: 1. To explore and to find out whether consumers understand labeling information provided in food products label; 2. To explore and to find out whether legibility of food products labels must be improved; 3. To explore and to find out whether consumers purchase advertised food products. 3500 Lithuania adults were selected to participate in this research. The rate of research reply is 69,1 proc. During the research, 2418 correctly answered questionnaires of Lithuanian residents were received. During the research, respondents were asked about what does provide the most knowledge about nutrition, what does make influence on selection of products, is information on food products label provided clearly, and other. The main sources which provide knowledge about nutrition are television and radio (55,9 proc.), as well as press (24,9 proc.). The selection of food products is influenced by the expiry date (82,3 proc.), place of origin (30,4 proc.) and price (38,3 proc.). The majority of respondents only sometimes read the information on products labels (62,1 proc.) and 59,8 proc. of respondents partly understand it. Also, according to their opinion, the legibility of food products labels must be improved (73,4 proc.). This must be done by... [to full text]

Low socioeconomic families must make many difficult decisions when purchasing foods for their family. As a result, many low-income families base their diets on less expensive, nutrient-poor convenience foods. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the impact of a virtual grocery shopping tour on the ability of low-income Delaware County adults to understand and use the Nutrition Facts Panel. Twenty-one low-income adults participated in the virtual grocery tour that focused on how to use the Nutrition Facts Panel to select healthier food items. Results indicated participants’ confidence in their ability to “use the Nutrition Facts Panel” (7.0 ± 3.5 vs. 9.2 ± 1.8; t=2.53, p=0.021) and to identify a low sodium breakfast cereal (t=3.375; p=0.003) increased after the intervention. However, there was no increase in the participants’ confidence to choose healthy items at the grocery store (t=1.34; p=0.196) or in their ability to identify if a cereal was “high” in fiber (t=1.714; p=0.104), “high” in iron (t=0.438; p=0.667), or a “good” source (e.g., 10-19% DV) of calcium (t=0.438; t=0.667). Future efforts should focus on a narrower curriculum so as not to overwhelm participants. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

The application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in the determination of nutrition labeling component data (NLCD) was investigated, with the intent of using this methodology as a primary method to calibrate FTIR instrumentation for NLCD confirmation or screening on a routine basis. Unlike previous NMR studies, this work used three strategies to attain accuracy and reproducibility of NLCD through: (i) appropriate setting of operational parameters for spectral acquisition; (ii) resonance selection by optimizing the signal in proportion to the nuclei population and (iii) integration of resonances by pre-defined fixed chemical shift ranges. Both of 13C NMR spectra and 1H NMR spectra were shown to provide robust and acceptable results on the condition of appropriate acquisition of spectra for quantization purposes and the adoption of standard procedures for spectral processing, integration and calculation purposes. A quantitative approach of NLCD including trans content was determined by the interpretation resonance signals of 13C's and 1H's from methylene groups presented in triglyceride complex of fats and oils. An alternative method based on partial-least-squares (PLS) calibrations was provided as well, the latter proved to be especially useful in dealing with overlapping bands frequently found in 1H spectra. With the diagnostic provided by PLS, the trans and cis signals were shown to be separated in 1H spectra. It is the premise for the trans fat determination based on 1H spectra. Unit conversion from mole to weight % was addressed and a solution was developed based on NMR data per se, without significant assumptions. Validation involving the analysis of three different lipid types (model triacylglycerols, refined and hydrogenated oils) demonstrated that NMR predictions of NLCD were in good agreement with those results either from samples' actual values as well as those obtained using GC and FTIR predictions. Thus with appropriate integration of instrumentation, software and spectral processing accessories, both 13C and 1H NMR can determine NLCD, but with the capability to determine trans, 1H NMR is more practical than 13C NMR due to its much shorter spectral acquisition time. Thus NMR can serve as a primary method for the calibration of FTIR instrumentation, a practical instrumental method for routine NLCD determination and screening.

Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / A diet high in fat results in dietary-related diseases, which have reached epidemic proportions in South Africa. Nutritional labelling has the potential to alter consumers’ knowledge of attitude and behaviour towards their fat intake. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of nutritional labelling on the population’s fat-intake through a systematic literature review. Electronic databases, reference lists of relevant studies and the Internet were searched, to identify studies that could help to answer the problem statement. Relevant citations were independently identified by two investigators based on the established inclusion-criteria. After this the full text of the selected citations were obtained and filtered independently by each investigator based on the inclusion- and exclusion criteria. The characteristics of each study was recorded in specially developed data extraction forms by the investigator herself and was checked by a second investigator. The primary objective of the study was to investigate nutritional labelling on food packaging. Two other forms of labelling were included to gain a more concise perception of consumers’ knowledge and practices regarding information on fat. These other forms were point-of-sale labelling (in supermarkets, in restaurants, by vending machines) and experimental labelling (labels spesifically designed to indicate the fat-content of a food item). A total of 59 relevant studies were included based on the inclusion-criteria. Although only a few studies assessed the effect of labelling on diet, there was evidence that the use of labels resulted in lower fat intake. Women older than 35 years with higher education levels, who used nutritional supplements, and who were in the maintenance stage of change to a lower fat diet, and who believed in the importance of nutrition, were between 50% to 80% higher users of information about fat than their counterparts. Fat is the food component which was most looked at on the food label (50% to 80%). Small changes in fat intake occured due to point-of-sale labelling, but labelling programmes which combined labelling with additional information on fat (e.g. pamphlets), increased visibility and nutrition education programmes, were more successful. People generally perceived products lower in fat as less pleasant, but sensory judgement of the products labelled with a low fat content were related to a person’s beliefs and concerns towards fat. Nutritional labelling can be an effective measure, which can be used to reduce the population’s fat intake; however, more research is needed to assess the effect of labelling on fat content of their diet. Regulations and education is needed to enhance the consumer’s trust in and capability in the use of labelling to make better food choices and to alter their diet. The success of labelling is dependant on a well-educated and motivated population, as well as the necessary information in a format which is understandable to the consumer.