U. S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
FDA/IFIC Booklet, 1993


FOOD RISKS: PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

Teacher's Guide, Lesson 7

Food Labels: How Can They Help?

BACKGROUND

The FDA regulates labeling to help consumers know what is in the foods they buy. Regulations require that packaged foods provide information on the label about ingredients. The FDA also samples and tests items to ensure that they are labeled truthfully.

STRATEGY

A week or so before you begin this lesson, ask students to bring in empty and clean food packages, with the labels still intact.

Begin the lesson by asking volunteers to discuss whether they usually read food labels. Have them explain their actions. Next, ask what is on food labels and why that information might be important. Have students read the Mind Sweep section and mark their answers. Discuss the answers.

Mount the labels that students brought in on a bulletin board. After students have completed the work sheet, have them label the parts.

Answers: Check information under "Inside Information at Your Fingertips" for descriptions of the label parts.

* U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the International Food Information Council Foundation, 1993

Student Exercise, Lesson 7


Name ______________________________________

FOOD RISKS: PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

Food Labels: How Can They Help?

MIND SWEEP

Match the food label parts below with the following descriptions by writing the number of the description on the corresponding label part. Check your work by reading the material below.

  1. Ingredients
  2. Storage directions
  3. Sell by date
  4. Expiration date
  5. Lot number

illustration of package

INSIDE INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Food labels and packaging are excellent sources of information about food and guides for food safety. If you don't take time to read them, you are not taking full advantage of this food information resource. Look for the following on food labels and packaging:

  1. Exactly what is in the package. This may include
    • The quantity by weight or volume or count.
    • The ingredients, listed in decreasing order. In other words, the ingredient present in the greatest amount is listed first.
    • The form of the food, such as sliced, whole, or chunk.

  2. How nutritious the food is. This may include the number of calories per serving, amount of fat, and percentage of vitamins.

  3. If the food is graded or inspected. Eggs and fresh meat have a grade shield or inspection mark on the package to signify their safety and quality.

  4. How the food should be stored or prepared.

  5. The food's shelf-life dates. These may include
    • The date product was manufactured, processed, or packaged.
    • The "sell by" date. This is the last day the product can be sold. It allows time for the product to be stored and used at home.
    • The "best if used by" date. This is the freshness date; product may be safe after this date but will probably not be at peak quality.
    • The "do not use after" date. This is the expiration date; the last date the product should be used.

  6. The lot number of the package. Manufacturers place batch identification numbers on food packages. If there is a problem with a batch of food, news reports will advise people to return products with a certain number.

  7. Anti-tampering devices. These will reveal whether the container's original closing has been broken. It could be a plastic seal around the outside of a container or a safety button on the lid of a jar. If the seal is broken or the button is up, don't buy and don't use the product.

  8. The name and address of the manufacturer or packer of the food.

* U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the International Food Information Council Foundation, 1993

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