Food Labelling Regulations 1996, food labels must include:
Name of the food, Ingridients listed in descending order,
Additives, Instructions for use, cooking & storage, net values,
name & address of the manufacturer, place of origin, special
claims, processing treatments, date mark system.
Date marking
'USE BY' - for high risk perishable foods.
day and month is shown as well as
conditions. After this date food may look or
taste different, unsafe should be thrown
away.
'BEST BEFORE' - Low risk foods. Date,
month, year will be shown. After this
the sensory characteristics will
deteriorate
Barcodes
Barcodes are good for the
manufacturers because they are
quick, monitor stock control, have a
computer link and may tracing
products easy (traceability).
PACKAGING
Why?
Contains it; protects it from damage; helps to
preserve it; protects it from contamination; carries
id/description if contents; information; tamper
evidence; promotes the protect.
Different materials
PAPER & CARD - cheap, recyclable, easy to print on, light but not waterproof or strong
THERMOPLASTICS - easy to shape, light, good for liquids but difficult to recycle.
METAL - strong, can be heat treated, expensive to produce
GLASS - recyclable, good for liquids, but can break easily and heavy.
Storage systems may require:
temperature control; gas control
(oxygen and carbon dioxide);
humidity control.
Modified Atmosphere packaging (MAP) and Controlled Atmosphere packaging
(CAP) are techniques used to prolong shelf-life. A system which alters the
natural gases in a package. The product is gas flushed and hermetically sealed,
it often has to be chilled as well. Can be used for fish, meat, peanuts. Spoilage is
decreased and shelf life increased.
Tamper evident seals
Used to ensure that food
hasn't been contaminated or
misused.
E.g. plastic collars, tear-way
strips, tin-foil seals, plastic
film wraps on cardboard
boxes, plastic film on
ready-meal trays.
Specialist Packaging Materials
Gas flushed - mixture
of gases designed to
delay deterioration
Hermetically sealed - heat treated
Environmentally friendly packaging
Reusable packaging -
cleaned and re-used
(e.g. glass milk
bottles)
Recyclable packaging -
made of materials that
can be used again,
usually after processing
Biodegradable packaging -
easily breaks down in the soil
or the atmosphere
Advantages to the environment of using
paper in packaging: recyclable, reduces
carbon footprint, reduces transport costs
because lighter.