Label facts
Why do we have food labels?
Food labels provide information to help us make healthier and safer food choices. They …
- tell us which nutrients, in what amounts, are in a product;
- warn us if a food contains food allergens;
- inform us if the food is fresh or out of date; or explain how to store, prepare or cook the food we buy;
- list product ingredients; and
- give us information on where the food was produced and by which company.
Essentially, food labels are there to provide us with basic information about what is in the food we eat and how best to handle it.
Even where the food is fresh or not in a packet, the retailer must be able to provide to you on request any information about:
- the presence of any ingredients which are allergens;
- the directions for storing and/or preparing the food if these are required to ensure its safe use;
- the country of origin of the food;
- if a nutrition claim is made about a food: its nutrient content as required on packaged food;
- the % fat if a claim about fat is made; and
- the proportion of the characterising ingredient of a mixed food;
- whether the food contains a genetically modified ingredient or is irradiated;
- the proportion of offal in a meat mix;
- the fact that a meat product is fermented; e.g salami.
Also on this site
- Brochure: Food labels (pdf, 697KB)
- Additives and E numbers
- Allergy management (summary)
- 'Best before' and 'use by' dates
- Country of origin labelling
- Health claims
- Nutrition labelling
- Surprising facts about labels
- Complaints about food
- Allergy and intolerance pages
- Media release: 24 November 2006 - NSW Leading the way on labelling
- Media release: 24 November 2006 - Authority statement on labelling
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