Sonja Vlaar
Since the end of 2014, a lot has happened in terms of food labeling: the conspicuous labeling of the main allergens causes food allergies and people with intolerances to breathe. Health conscious consumers are warned by the labeling of hydrogenated fats. The boycott of palm oil, for which rainforests are cut down, becomes easier, since the origin of vegetable oils must now be mandatory. And also "analog cheese" or "chopped ham" must be clearly and prominently declared as food imitation.
Finally, with the end of 2016, the last part of the EU Food Information Regulation must also be implemented: the mandatory nutrition labeling. Information such as the fat, sugar or salt content per 100 gram or per 100 milliliter are then mandatory for packaged food.
So beautiful, so good - but as always, it's the details that make the difference. Not least caused by the meat scandals, now the country must be specified in which the animal was fattened and slaughtered. "Where it comes from processed products such as sausage, but still not apparent," says Katrin Mittl, nutritionist from the Association for Consumer Information (VKI).
Also, the freezing date and any opening date must be on the packaging. "If meat is thawed and frozen again, this must be noted. But that does not apply everywhere. With fish, it can be omitted if it is further processed, for example, smoked, salted or cooked. "
GMO-free - or not?
Genetic engineering does not taste Mr. and Mrs. Austrian either. After all, according to a market-agent study, 60 percent are using sustainably produced food in order to be able to do without genetic engineering. Although products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or ingredients have long been labeled. The exception: products from animals that are fed with genetically modified plants. The majority of genetically modified products such as soy and corn are used as animal feed. If you also want to play it safe when it comes to dairy products, eggs, meat, etc., there is only one thing you can do: pay attention to labels such as "Made without genetic engineering".
These clear seals also have another advantage: they also do without additives that are produced by genetic engineering. Why is that important? "Additives and flavorings made with the aid of genetically modified microorganisms do not have to be labeled. Equally accidental, technically unavoidable GMO admixtures up to 0,9 percent, if the respective genetically modified organism (GMO) was approved in the EU and considered safe.
Incidentally, genetically modified microorganisms for the production of additives and enzymes are also allowed for organic products in exceptional cases, "says the nutritionist. So genetic engineering has long since landed on our plates, even without our being aware of it.
Labeling: What is not on the packaging
What exactly is in our food, which we take every day to us, has long been unclear. In principle, however, only health-safe additives that are technologically necessary may be allowed at all: "They will only be approved after extensive examinations and long-term studies. High, daily tolerable tolerances ensure this, "says Mittl from the VKI. But especially children and sensitive people can still be sensitive to certain ingredients.
Check products by app
For more transparency Codecheck (www.codecheck.info) is committed to this. Not only cosmetic products, but also codes of food can be scanned by mobile phone app - and you can see at a glance how the ingredients used are judged by critical experts. In doing so, the company relies on independent expert assessments from Greenpeace, WWF, AK Wien, Ökotest or food chemists like Udo Pollmer. "There are very good expert reviews and studies available, but of course not all additives are recorded long term," says Roman Bleichenbacher, founder and CEO of Codecheck.
An example? How about "Soya cubes sweet and sour with basmati rice"? Without lactose and without genetic engineering emblazoned on the packaging. A scan shows the result: the harmless-sounding ingredients maltodextrin and citric acid are given the note: "Observe danger potential". Both ingredients can be genetically engineered. The citric acid present in fruits have little in common with the additive, so food chemist Heinz Knieriemen. Colleague Udo Pollmer adds that with larger intake of the intestine is able to absorb more heavy metals.
Decreed correctly from the regulatory point of view, nevertheless a product that could contain a genetically engineered additive. However, the finished product carries no official "GMO-free" seal. Incidentally, Codecheck also rates the significance of the quality seal on the packaging.
Tip
Codecheck is community-based and works similar to Wikipedia: the database for app and Internet platform are fed by users with products. Once the ingredients have been typed, every user can see at a glance which additives are critically eyed by experts. Or, where genetic engineering may be used or if endangered fish species have been processed. In addition, the app lets, for example, filter products with palm oil.
www.codecheck.info
Ingredients and non-ingredients
But Codecheck can of course only evaluate ingredients that are present on the list of ingredients. Processing aids that have no effect on the final product are considered as non-ingredients and do not have to be included in the list of ingredients (unless they are allergens).
If, for example, a Rieselhilfe was used for the salt in the potato chips or the fruit mixture in the yoghurt was mixed with a preservative, then both auxiliaries need not be listed on the packaging. The micro-organisms, enzymes or salt necessary for the production of dairy products such as yoghurt, cheese or butter are also not subject to labeling, as long as no further ingredient is added. Relevant for vegans and vegetarians: "Even the gelatine used for clarification in apple juice or lab enzymes for cheese production do not have to be declared, although residues may be present in the final product," says Roman Bleichenbacher.
Would not politics be required here, for example with negative labels that point to genetic engineering or inhuman working conditions such as child labor?
Even more transparency required
The Codecheck founder is far too little transparency on the market anyway. "Where do the raw materials used come from? Is it, for example, soy, which is environmentally problematic, with grubbing-up, monocultures and expulsion of people? This requires the information of the exact source and the supply chain, but you often do not get that. That would be another step towards transparency that completely changes the market. "
So far, consumers are mainly informed with "clean labels" such as "without flavor enhancers" or positive seals such as organic or Fairtrade seals. But would not politics be required here, for example with negative labels that point to genetic engineering or inhuman working conditions such as child labor? "The effect of such a declaration would certainly be greater. The labels are already a good help, but consumers nowadays want even more detailed information for their purchases and these must be made accessible, "says Bleichenbacher.
Markings
Applies already: important declaration obligations
Vegetable oil: Specification of the oil used obligatory (eg palm oil, rapeseed oil etc.), as well as hardened oil (in whole or in part)
14 major allergens must be emphasized, e.g. in bold or capital letters: gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk (including lactose), nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, etc.), celery, mustard, sesame, sulfur dioxide / sulfites> 10mg / kg or SO2, lupins, molluscs
Meat: Information of origin for packaged, fresh or frozen meat (but not for processed meat), beef, veal, pork, poultry, sheepmeat and goatmeat: reared in (land), slaughtered in (land), lot number, frozen goods : Date of freezing
Food Imitate: Labeling of substitute ingredients such as imitation cheese or pieces of sticky meat or sticky fish composed of pieces
Nano-labeling: for all ingredients in the form of engineered nanomaterials. In practice, however, there are still no additives in the food sector that would fall under this term. Nanomaterials are, however, according to consumer advice in packaging and are not subject to labeling.
What belongs to the label of packaged food, regulates the Food Information Regulation of the EU.
New from 13.12.2016: Nutritional labeling per 100g or 100ml: energy kJ / kcal, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, salt
Voluntary information: eg unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber
Indication of sodium or cholesterol is no longer permitted.
Basically labeling required:
Genetic engineering: Foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be labeledException: Animals fed genetically modified feed
Photo / Video: Shutterstock.
