In recent years, natural health products in food formats with higher levels of added vitamins and minerals, amino acids, herbal ingredients and bioactives sought and were granted market access in Canada. Since these food products, referred to as supplemented foods (SFs), are sold alongside conventional foods and lack features that clearly distinguish them from other foods, there is a potential for confusion among consumers as to the appropriate use of these products. There is no research evaluating the nutrition labelling approaches for these foods, and what consumers need in a labelling approach to be able to identify these food products and distinguish them from other foods, determine what the supplemental ingredients are and understand any directions or cautions for use of these foods. To determine key components of an appropriate labelling approach, interviews and discussion groups were conducted in the National Capital Region and the surrounding area to assess consumer access, understanding and appraisal of these foods, using current and tested labelling strategies. Consumer feedback consistently indicated that the current labelling is insufficient for awareness, understanding, appraisal and appropriate use of supplemented foods. Tested labelling components that facilitated awareness, understanding, and appraisal of supplemented foods included a symbol based supplemented food product identifier with the wording “Supplemented” on the front of the package, a “Supplemented” information box containing a listing of the name and amount of each supplemental ingredient and cautionary labelling in proximity to the supplemental ingredient labelling. These key labelling components are to be integrated into a web-based mock-package trial that will objectively test these labelling tools on a large sample of Canadian consumers (n=4000).

Introdução: Diante das mudanças nos hábitos de consumo alimentar da população brasileira, suplementos vitamínicos e alimentos enriquecidos são veículos comumente empregados para atender as necessidades de ingestão de micronutrientes. A diversidade de suplementos vitamínicos comercializados atualmente leva à necessidade de desenvolvimento de métodos analíticos de fácil execução e alta produtividade. Informações confiáveis sobre os teores de vitaminas poderão ser obtidas somente com métodos analíticos validados. Objetivos: Validar metodologias analíticas e avaliar o teor de vitaminas antioxidantes em suplementos adquiridos no comércio do município de São Paulo - Brasil, o efeito do armazenamento nestes compostos e confrontar os valores analisados com os valores declarados na rotulagem. Métodos: As metodologias analíticas para determinação de vitaminas antioxidantes por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detector de arranjo de diodos (CLAE-DAD) e de vitamina C por titulação potenciométrica foram validadas para as matrizes sólidas, oleosas e líquidas de suplementos vitamínicos. A estabilidade das vitaminas foi avaliada a cada 6 meses durante 12 meses de armazenamento e a avaliação da rotulagem foi realizada de acordo com as legislações vigentes no Brasil. Resultados: Para os métodos cromatográficos, os limites de detecção (LDs) e de quantificação (LQs) variaram entre 0,3 e 4,3 µg/mL, e entre 0,5 e 14,0 µg/mL respectivamente. As recuperações dos padrões adicionados nas matrizes variaram entre 92 por cento e 109 por cento e entre 86 por cento e 108 por cento no material de referência. A repetitividade foi calculada pelo desvio padrão relativo (RSD), apresentando valores entre 0,2 por cento e 9,6 por cento . Para a determinação de vitamina C pelo método potenciométrico, o LD e o LQ foram respectivamente 1 mg e 3 mg; a recuperação no material de referência foi de 99,8 por cento e a precisão variou entre 0,4 e 3,9 por cento . Das 57 amostras avaliadas, 59 por cento e 35 por cento apresentaram teores de vitaminas A e E respectivamente, abaixo dos valores declarados no rótulo; por outro lado, 20 por cento das amostras apresentaram teores de vitamina E acima dos valores declarados. Em relação aos teores de vitamina C, 60 por cento das amostras estavam de acordo com os valores declarados. O estudo da estabilidade demonstrou degradação significativa das vitaminas A, E e C em aproximadamente 90 por cento das amostras com 12 meses de armazenamento. Na avaliação da rotulagem dos suplementos vitamínicos, 47 das amostras apresentaram uma ou mais irregularidades. Conclusão: Os métodos propostos se mostraram adequados para análise de diferentes matrizes de suplementos vitamínicos. Os resultados das análises de vitaminas nestes produtos mostraram a necessidade urgente de monitoramento em conjunto com ações de fiscalização, pois verificou-se que a maioria das amostras não atenderam a legislação, principalmente quanto aos teores declarados na informação nutricional da rotulagem. A sobredosagem de vitaminas pode ser necessária para manter os teores declarados durante o armazenamento, porém, a quantidade adicional de vitamina a ser incluída no suplemento deve estar dentro de limites seguros e depende de cada amostra, pois além da matriz, diversos fatores relacionados aos compostos e à embalagem também podem influenciar na estabilidade das vitaminas. / Introduction: In the face of changes in food consumption patterns of the population, vitamin supplements and fortified foods are vehicles commonly used to meet the micronutrient consumption needs. The diversity of vitamin supplements currently commercialized leads to the need to develop simple analytical methods with high productivity. Reliable information about vitamin levels may be obtained only with validated analytical methods. Objective: The validation of analytical methodologies to determine the content of antioxidant vitamins in supplements acquired in trade of São Paulo Brazil, the effect of storage in these compounds, and to confront the analyzed values with the declared values on the label. Methods: The analytical methodologies for determination of antioxidant vitamins by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and vitamin C by potentiometric titration were validated for solid, oily and liquid matrices of vitamin supplements. The stability of vitamins was evaluated every 6 months in a period of 12 months of storage and evaluation of the labeling was performed according to the current Brazilian legislation. Results: For the chromatographic methods, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) ranged between 0.3-4.3 g/mL and between 0.5 and 14.0 mg/mL respectively. The recoveries of spiked samples ranged between 92-109 per cent and between 86108 per cent from the reference material. The repeatability was calculated by the relative standard deviation (RSD), with values between 0.2-9.6 per cent . For the determination of vitamin C by a potentiometric method, the LOD and LOQ were respectively 1 and 3 mg; recovering the reference material was 99.8 per cent and the accuracy ranged between 0.4-3.9 per cent . From the 57 samples tested, 59 per cent and 35 per cent had vitamin levels A and E respectively, below the values declared on the label; On the other hand, 20 per cent of the samples had levels of vitamin E above declared values. Regarding the content of vitamin C, 60 per cent of the samples were in agreement with the reported values. The stability study demonstrated significant degradation of vitamins A, E and C in approximately 90 per cent of the samples with 12 months of storage. The evaluation of vitamin supplement labels showed 47 per cent of samples with one or more irregularities. Conclusion: The proposed methods were suitable for analysis of different matrices of vitamin supplements. The analysis of vitamins in supplements showed the urgent need for monitoring in conjunction with enforcement actions, as it was found that most of the samples did not meet the requirements stablished by the Brazilian legislation, especially for the levels declared in the nutrition label information. Overage of vitamin added in supplements may be necessary to maintain the declared contents during storage, however, the additional amount must be included in security level and depends on each sample, as well as the matrices, several factors related to the compounds and packaging may also influence the stability of vitamins.

The current study compared participants’ ability to perform tasks using two nutrition labels: a control Nutrition Facts table of the current Canadian format (n=64), and an experimental label (n=64), identical to the control label with the exception of a footnote explaining how to interpret percent daily values. A 25% subset of participants answered questions using a think aloud technique, and data was analyzed using content analysis. The main outcome measured was ability to interpret percentages correctly, with ability to compare, define and manipulate information as secondary outcomes. No significant differences were seen in ability to perform tasks between the experimental and control conditions for any outcomes. As determined by chi square tests, higher performance was associated with higher education, being male, and report of previous Nutrition Facts table use. Verbal protocol analysis identified that interpretation of percentages was based on the meal, food type, and comparison to other foods.

Thesis (MTech (Consumer Science: Food and Nutrition))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Objective: To determine whether nutritional information provision would influence the choice of a popular fast food by young adults employed in the City of Cape Town, South Africa (SA), within the professional and clerk occupational classifications as consumer group, using a beef burger as exploratory item. Methodology: A survey, in the form of a self-administered questionnaire comprising closedended multiple-choice questions, was used to obtain information on the respondent fast food consumption, fast food consumption on nutritional information provision using a beef burger as exploratory item, demographic, biographic and lifestyle characteristics, and eating practices. Through the purchasing of beef burgers across four major leading fast food franchises located within the Western Cape, and specifically those based in the City of Cape Town competitive in this fast food category, information pertaining to beef burger ingredients and the individual ingredient weights were obtained, to compile 16 representative beef burger-types to be presented in the questionnaire. Beef burgers were presented as two menu-options (i.e. the first containing energy provision alone, vs. the second containing extended nutritional information as energy, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol provision) within the questionnaire, to obtain information on whether nutritional information provision would influence the respondents’ choice, and if so, which provision would do so. The questionnaire was assessed for content- and face-validity by an expert panel, and on the research receiving ethics approval, piloted and adapted before being distributed. Questionnaires were distributed according to the respondent preference for ease of use as either a hard printed copy or an electronic questionnaire. This was done via means of purposive and convenience sampling and by way of snowball sampling, to obtain young adults aged 20 to 34 years who were consumers of fast food and specifically beef burgers, within the selected occupational classifications working for small- to medium-sized companies in the City of Cape Town. Via the Pearson’s chi-squared and Fisher’s exact test and a logistic regression (Wald chisquare statistic) applied on the analysis, the factors to significantly influence the respondents to change their beef burger choice on the nutritional information provison were determined. Results: The final sample consisted of 157 respondents. A near-even split occurred between the respondents who would (52.2%) and wouldn’t (47.8%) be influenced by the nutritional information provision. Of the respondents who indicated that they would be influenced, the extended nutritional information provision had the highest influence. Twelve factors comprising a combination of the respondent biographic and lifestyle characteristics (n = 2), eating practices (n = 7), and fast food consumption (n = 3), were found to significantly (p < 0.05) influence the respondent choice of a beef burger on the nutritional information provision, and on application of the logistic regression, one factor strongly (p < 0.001) in each of the three domains. Of the respondents who indicated that they would not be influenced, more than half (54.4%) gave their reason as even though they were aware, or had an idea of the nutritional content of burgers, that they would still purchase their original choice even if the nutritional information was available, followed by one-quarter (25%) who indicated that they did not understand nutritional information. Conclusions: Extended nutritional information provision was found to positively influence a popular fast food choice among young adults employed within the City of Cape Town, SA, with health-consciousness being the overall factor identified to influence the choice of a healthier option on the nutritional information provision, as the identified significant factors were all related to health-conscious consumer attributes.

Introdução: Diante das mudanças nos hábitos de consumo alimentar da população brasileira, suplementos vitamínicos e alimentos enriquecidos são veículos comumente empregados para atender as necessidades de ingestão de micronutrientes. A diversidade de suplementos vitamínicos comercializados atualmente leva à necessidade de desenvolvimento de métodos analíticos de fácil execução e alta produtividade. Informações confiáveis sobre os teores de vitaminas poderão ser obtidas somente com métodos analíticos validados. Objetivos: Validar metodologias analíticas e avaliar o teor de vitaminas antioxidantes em suplementos adquiridos no comércio do município de São Paulo - Brasil, o efeito do armazenamento nestes compostos e confrontar os valores analisados com os valores declarados na rotulagem. Métodos: As metodologias analíticas para determinação de vitaminas antioxidantes por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detector de arranjo de diodos (CLAE-DAD) e de vitamina C por titulação potenciométrica foram validadas para as matrizes sólidas, oleosas e líquidas de suplementos vitamínicos. A estabilidade das vitaminas foi avaliada a cada 6 meses durante 12 meses de armazenamento e a avaliação da rotulagem foi realizada de acordo com as legislações vigentes no Brasil. Resultados: Para os métodos cromatográficos, os limites de detecção (LDs) e de quantificação (LQs) variaram entre 0,3 e 4,3 µg/mL, e entre 0,5 e 14,0 µg/mL respectivamente. As recuperações dos padrões adicionados nas matrizes variaram entre 92 por cento e 109 por cento e entre 86 por cento e 108 por cento no material de referência. A repetitividade foi calculada pelo desvio padrão relativo (RSD), apresentando valores entre 0,2 por cento e 9,6 por cento . Para a determinação de vitamina C pelo método potenciométrico, o LD e o LQ foram respectivamente 1 mg e 3 mg; a recuperação no material de referência foi de 99,8 por cento e a precisão variou entre 0,4 e 3,9 por cento . Das 57 amostras avaliadas, 59 por cento e 35 por cento apresentaram teores de vitaminas A e E respectivamente, abaixo dos valores declarados no rótulo; por outro lado, 20 por cento das amostras apresentaram teores de vitamina E acima dos valores declarados. Em relação aos teores de vitamina C, 60 por cento das amostras estavam de acordo com os valores declarados. O estudo da estabilidade demonstrou degradação significativa das vitaminas A, E e C em aproximadamente 90 por cento das amostras com 12 meses de armazenamento. Na avaliação da rotulagem dos suplementos vitamínicos, 47 das amostras apresentaram uma ou mais irregularidades. Conclusão: Os métodos propostos se mostraram adequados para análise de diferentes matrizes de suplementos vitamínicos. Os resultados das análises de vitaminas nestes produtos mostraram a necessidade urgente de monitoramento em conjunto com ações de fiscalização, pois verificou-se que a maioria das amostras não atenderam a legislação, principalmente quanto aos teores declarados na informação nutricional da rotulagem. A sobredosagem de vitaminas pode ser necessária para manter os teores declarados durante o armazenamento, porém, a quantidade adicional de vitamina a ser incluída no suplemento deve estar dentro de limites seguros e depende de cada amostra, pois além da matriz, diversos fatores relacionados aos compostos e à embalagem também podem influenciar na estabilidade das vitaminas. / Introduction: In the face of changes in food consumption patterns of the population, vitamin supplements and fortified foods are vehicles commonly used to meet the micronutrient consumption needs. The diversity of vitamin supplements currently commercialized leads to the need to develop simple analytical methods with high productivity. Reliable information about vitamin levels may be obtained only with validated analytical methods. Objective: The validation of analytical methodologies to determine the content of antioxidant vitamins in supplements acquired in trade of São Paulo Brazil, the effect of storage in these compounds, and to confront the analyzed values with the declared values on the label. Methods: The analytical methodologies for determination of antioxidant vitamins by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and vitamin C by potentiometric titration were validated for solid, oily and liquid matrices of vitamin supplements. The stability of vitamins was evaluated every 6 months in a period of 12 months of storage and evaluation of the labeling was performed according to the current Brazilian legislation. Results: For the chromatographic methods, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) ranged between 0.3-4.3 g/mL and between 0.5 and 14.0 mg/mL respectively. The recoveries of spiked samples ranged between 92-109 per cent and between 86108 per cent from the reference material. The repeatability was calculated by the relative standard deviation (RSD), with values between 0.2-9.6 per cent . For the determination of vitamin C by a potentiometric method, the LOD and LOQ were respectively 1 and 3 mg; recovering the reference material was 99.8 per cent and the accuracy ranged between 0.4-3.9 per cent . From the 57 samples tested, 59 per cent and 35 per cent had vitamin levels A and E respectively, below the values declared on the label; On the other hand, 20 per cent of the samples had levels of vitamin E above declared values. Regarding the content of vitamin C, 60 per cent of the samples were in agreement with the reported values. The stability study demonstrated significant degradation of vitamins A, E and C in approximately 90 per cent of the samples with 12 months of storage. The evaluation of vitamin supplement labels showed 47 per cent of samples with one or more irregularities. Conclusion: The proposed methods were suitable for analysis of different matrices of vitamin supplements. The analysis of vitamins in supplements showed the urgent need for monitoring in conjunction with enforcement actions, as it was found that most of the samples did not meet the requirements stablished by the Brazilian legislation, especially for the levels declared in the nutrition label information. Overage of vitamin added in supplements may be necessary to maintain the declared contents during storage, however, the additional amount must be included in security level and depends on each sample, as well as the matrices, several factors related to the compounds and packaging may also influence the stability of vitamins.

Vor dem Hintergrund der Zunahme von Übergewicht, Adipositas und daraus resultierender gesundheitlicher Gefährdungen wie Herz-Kreislauferkrankungen und Stoffwechselerkrankungen, zum Beispiel durch mangelndes Ernährungswissen, wird seit längerem über eine einfache erweiterte Lebensmittelkennzeichnung diskutiert. Bisher sind erweiterte Kennzeichnungsmodelle auf Lebensmittelverpackungen zu finden. Eingangs wird das Modell „Kennzeichnung unter Verwendung der GDA“ dargestellt, welches der Verband der europäischen Lebensmittelindustrie (CIAA) für eine vereinfachte Nährwertkennzeichnung für verpackte Lebensmittel entwickelt hat. Die erweiterten Nährwertangaben werden mit dem Modell „1 plus 4“ als Schwerpunkt des nationalen Aktionsplans in Deutschland zur Prävention von Fehlernährung, Bewegungsmangel, Übergewicht und damit zusammenhängende Krankheiten als „Leitfaden für erweiterte Nährwertinformationen auf Lebensmittelverpackungen“ durch das Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz (BMELV) veröffentlicht. Das Modell „Ampelsystem“ wurde von der britischen Lebensmittelbehörde Food Standard Agency (FSA) entwickelt, mit dem Ziel, dem Verbraucher verständliche Informationen zu geben. Ein positiver Nebeneffekt der Ampel ist es, die Lebensmittelhersteller zu motivieren, die Inhaltsstoffe und die Zusammensetzung ihrer Produkte zu prüfen. Die Verkaufszahlen britischer Unternehmen zeigen, dass die Verbraucher ihren Lebensmitteleinkauf auf das System ausrichten. Abschließend wird das schwedische „Keyhole-Modell“ dargestellt. In diesem werden die Lebensmittel für den Verbraucher anhand der Kategorien „gesund“ oder „weniger gesund“ hervorgehoben. Die zentrale staatliche Behörde für Ernährung und Trinkwasser (NFA) führte das „grüne Schlüsselloch“ ein. Das „Keyhole-Modell“ soll zur gesunden Ernährung beitragen. Zusammenfassen lässt sich konstatieren, dass keines der dargestellten Modelle mehrheitlich akzeptiert wird. Zwar verfolgen alle Modelle das gleiche Ziel, die Sensibilisierung der Verbraucher als Hilfestellung für die Auswahl gesunder Lebensmittel, aber die Ansätze der Modelle sind verschiedenartig. Die Entscheidung für ein europäisches einheitliches Modell steht noch aus. / Regarding the increase of overweight, obesity and resultant health hazards such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases, for example by lack of nutrition knowledge, simple advanced food labelling has been discussed for some time. So far, advanced identification models can be found on food packaging. At first, the model identification using the GDA is shown, which has been developed by the Association of European food industry (CIAA) for a simplified nutrition labelling for packaged foods. The expanded nutrition information are published with "one plus four" model as the focus of the national plan of action in Germany on the prevention of malnutrition, physical inactivity, obesity and related diseases as a "Guide for expanded nutrition information on food packaging" by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). The "traffic light system“ model has been developed by the British Food Administration Food Standard Agency (FSA) to give consumers clear information. A positive side effect of the traffic light system is to motivate food manufacturers to check the ingredients and the composition of their products. The sales of British companies show that consumers adjust their food shopping to the system. Finally, the Swedish "keyhole" model is shown. In this, the food is categorised for the consumer as "healthy" or "less healthy". The central government agency for food and drinking water (NFA) introduced the "green keyhole”. The "keyhole” model is to contribute to a healthy nutrition. Summarizing it can be stated that none of the models presented is accepted by majority. Although all the models follow the same objective, the promotion of consumer awareness as an aid for the selection of healthy food, but the approaches of the different models are different. The decision for a European standard model is still pending.

Our overall objective was to explore some individual and environmental determinants of eating habits with a main focus on nutrition labels and their usefulness for choosing foods for weight management. We first broadly examined these determinants using participants of the AFMNet Canadian Consumer Monitor (CCM), and found a number of attitudinal and perceived environmental barriers to healthy eating. In an experimental study with CCM respondents, we found that reduced fat claims may help consumers make better choices for weight management if calorie content on the Nutrition Facts Table is also considered. However, in our examination of foods with fat claims in the Canadian marketplace, we found that most products with fat claims are not significantly lower in calories than comparable foods without such claims. We conclude that fat claims could be useful in assisting consumers with food choices for weight management, if the foods were also reduced in calories.

Our overall objective was to explore some individual and environmental determinants of eating habits with a main focus on nutrition labels and their usefulness for choosing foods for weight management. We first broadly examined these determinants using participants of the AFMNet Canadian Consumer Monitor (CCM), and found a number of attitudinal and perceived environmental barriers to healthy eating. In an experimental study with CCM respondents, we found that reduced fat claims may help consumers make better choices for weight management if calorie content on the Nutrition Facts Table is also considered. However, in our examination of foods with fat claims in the Canadian marketplace, we found that most products with fat claims are not significantly lower in calories than comparable foods without such claims. We conclude that fat claims could be useful in assisting consumers with food choices for weight management, if the foods were also reduced in calories.

The 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) revealed many indicators of poor diet quality in Canada which, together with the high rates of obesity and diet-related chronic disease, suggest that shifts in dietary patterns are urgently needed. Given the widespread promotion of foods on the basis of nutrition and health, the aim of this work was to explore the population health implications of voluntary food fortification and nutrition-related marketing in Canada. Using the CCHS, the potential impact of a proposed discretionary food fortification policy on nutrient inadequacies and excesses was examined, in addition to the relationship between consumption of foods eligible to be fortified under this policy and indicators of dietary quality. To better understand the potential risk associated with liberal fortification practices, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-08) was used to examine potential for risk of excess associated with voluntarily fortified food consumption in the US, where these practices have long been permitted. The results suggest that proposed changes to voluntary fortification may reduce inadequacy and increase excess, and may reinforce poor diet patterns. Excessive nutrient intakes were also found to be associated with consumption of voluntarily fortified foods in the US, particularly among children. Therefore, there appears to be real potential for risk associated with voluntary fortification practices in Canada. The extent, nature, and population health implications of nutrition marketing in Canada was examined, using a survey of front-of-package nutrition-related marketing on foods within three large grocery stores in Toronto. Nutrition-related marketing was found on 41% of all foods surveyed, and was widely found on highly processed, often fortified foods. References to nutrients of public health concern (e.g. sodium, vitamin D) were infrequently found. Overall, this practice provides limited nutritional guidance. Current directions in nutrition policy in Canada should be re-evaluated, to ensure that they support healthy diet patterns.

Tinkamas informacijos apie maistą pateikimas, įskaitant maisto produktų ženklinimą, yra svarbi priemonė skatinti sveikatą stiprinantį gyvenimo būdą ir užtikrinti saugų maisto produktų vartojimą. Lietuvoje atliktų tyrimų duomenys rodo, kad ligų profilaktikos tikslu maisto produktus renkasi tik nedidelė dalis gyventojų, tačiau trūksta duomenų apie tai, kokios yra gyventojų maisto produktų pasirinkimo sąsajos su informacija apie maistą. Šio darbo tikslas – ištirti ir įvertinti informacijos apie maistą sąsajas su Lietuvos suaugusių gyventojų maisto produktų pasirinkimu visuomenės sveikatos požiūriu. Tyrimo rezultatai rodo, kad daugumos Lietuvos suaugusių gyventojų nuomone, maisto produktų ženklinimo informacija nėra visiškai suprantama ir aiškiai įskaitoma. Lietuvos suaugę gyventojai kaip labiausiai maisto produktų pasirinkimui darančią įtaką ženklinimo informaciją nurodė maisto produktų tinkamumo vartoti terminą, kainą ir kilmės šalį. Daugiau kaip pusė jų pageidauja, kad ženklinant maisto produktus būtų pateikiama maistingumo informacija. Labiausiai pageidaujama informacijos apie maisto produkto energinę vertę, riebalus, cholesterolį ir vitaminus. Daugiau moterų negu vyrų, aukštesnį išsilavinimą negu žemesnį išsilavinimą turinčių gyventojų domisi informacija apie maisto produktų maistingumą. Vertinant visuomenės sveikatos požiūriu, nenustatyta reikšmingų sąsajų tarp Lietuvos suaugusių gyventojų nuomonės apie informaciją apie maistą ir jų mitybos įpročių, tačiau sveikiau... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Appropriate provision of information regarding food, including foodstuff labeling, is considered to be an efficient tool to promote healthy lifestyle and ensure a safe use of foods. Research conducted in Lithuania indicate that just a small percentage of Lithuanian residents choose foods to prevent disease, however, there is a lack of data concerning the links between food information and the choice of foods of Lithuanian adults. The aim of the study is to investigate and evaluate the links between food information and choice of foodstuffs from a public health viewpoint. The results of the research show, that most of Lithuanian adult residents consider that food labelling information is not fully comprehensible and legible. Lithuanian adult residents reported that their food choice is mostly influenced by the minimum durability date, price and country of origin. More than half of Lithuanian adult residents wish nutrition labelling information to be presented on food labels. Females more than males, higher educated persons more than lower educated persons are interested in nutrition labelling information. From the public health viewpoint, significant links between Lithuanian adult residents’ dietary habits and their attitudes towards information about food were not found, however, those who had a healthier diet were more likely to wish nutrition labelling, its placement on the most visible side of the food package and information not only about fats, carbohydrates, proteins... [to full text]