New Food Labels Made Compulsory to Keep Europe Healthy

Following a groundbreaking deal on compulsory new food labels clinched on Wednesday, Europe look toward getting clear info on the nutritional and energy content of merchandise, as well as country of origin.After many years of debate, the European parliament approved legislation to harmonize compulsory data, including use-by dates and nutritional information key in the battle to battle mounting

Within five years, labels on supermarket shelves will need to show energy content along with fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt levels -- all expressed per 100g or 100 ml.

With a minimum font size of 1.2 mm, the labels will be readable, and 14 recognised allergens is going to be highlighted in bold in all lists of ingredients.

Existing country-of-origin regulations, now necessary for beef, honey, essential olive oil and fresh fruit and vegetables, is going to be extended to fresh meat from pigs, sheep, goat and poultry.

Fake foods -- such as cheese lookalikes actually made from vegetable oils and water and hardly any milk -- will also be clearly labelled, with the cheese tagged "made of vegetable oil".

Likewise meat or fish comprising meat or fish parts is going to be labelled "formed meat" or "formed fish" in fonts 75 % the size of the brand name.

"If a yoghurt has a picture of fruit onto it, it will have to contain fruit and not merely aromas or colouring substances," said rapporteur Renate Sommer, a German conservative MEP.

In 3 years the European Commission will look at whether to add "trans fats" associated with high cholesterol levels and heart disease and add listed ingredients to alcohols.