We do grocery shopping almost every day, but how many of us actually read the packaging of the products we buy? The weight of the products we add to our cart may be incorrect, and expiration dates might have passed. Moreover, many foods sold openly and without proper control might not contain the ingredients they claim to have. This is why reading product label information is so important. So, what do the items listed on the label actually mean? What should we pay attention to while shopping? We spoke with Food Engineer Ebru Akdağ to learn more.
In recent years, awareness regarding the contents of processed foods has been steadily increasing, but it is still not at the desired level. While there are conscious consumers who want to know what the food they eat and drink contains in order to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, there are still many people who purchase foods without checking their ingredients.
The health claims on the front of food packaging also encourage us to buy the product. However, the health claims used on some products can be misleading. So, does a product making claims such as "natural," "sugar-free," or "light" guarantee that it is healthy?
This is where the habit of reading food labels comes into play. The only way to understand whether the health claim emphasized on the product’s packaging is true is by reading the information label on the back.
So, how can we as consumers make conscious food choices? How should we read product labels? Do product packages mislead us? What are our rights as consumers? We spoke with Food Engineer Ebru Akdağ to find out.
1) What does it mean when products labeled as "strawberry," "hazelnut," etc., contain these ingredients in almost negligible amounts?
Akdağ began by stating that in cases where such labeling is done in accordance with legal regulations, consumer deception is not an issue. She added that in some cases, the aroma of the concentrated food can be much more dominant, and gave the following example:
"For example, strawberry powder is obtained by drying strawberries, and the drying process removes excess water, allowing for a more concentrated strawberry flavor in a smaller volume. Thus, only small amounts are needed to achieve the desired characteristics in the product. Like most fruits, strawberries contain about 90% water. Strawberry puree, on the other hand, contains approximately 15% water. In other words, 1 kilogram of strawberry puree is obtained from roughly 6 kilograms of strawberries."
On the other hand, Akdağ emphasized that if a product is not produced in accordance with legal regulations, it constitutes fraud and should be penalized. She explained how the legal regulation works according to the Turkish Food Codex Consumer Information and Labeling Regulation:
"Images and example representations used on food labels, advertisements, brochures, and websites can be more effective on consumers than the food's name and other descriptive statements. These images and representations should be subject to the same scrutiny and controls as misleading terms and statements. Background images and representations should not mislead the consumer regarding the type, composition, quality, or origin of the food. If a food product made entirely with flavoring instead of fruits or vegetables uses images of fruits or vegetables on its label, the food should be clearly labeled as 'flavored' where the image is placed, or it should be stated that the food is 'flavored.'"
2) Does a product making claims such as "natural," "sugar-free," or "light" guarantee that it is healthy?
Akdağ, "A food cannot be classified as healthy or unhealthy on its own. What makes a food healthy or unhealthy is how it affects the individual consuming it, the dosage, and its reliability," and added that the approach of "natural is healthy" is often a flawed assumption that we unknowingly fall into.
Akdağ stated that the numerous people who have lost their lives due to consuming wild mushrooms is one of the simplest examples of this, and she emphasized that foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs, which can be prepared for consumption in their natural state, are often classified as natural.
Akdağ, "Does not contain added sugar" label on some foods being mistakenly interpreted as sugar-free is also a misconception, and she explained this situation as follows:
"A food can contain sugar even if no sugar is added by nature. On the other hand, it is also wrong to declare sugar obtained from fruits, honey, or molasses as innocent, while declaring refined sugar as the enemy. Yes, the fibers, vitamins, or minerals we get from eating fruit along with the sugar are an advantage. However, when we think only about the sugar molecule, sugar is sugar. The body does not understand where the sugar comes from when metabolizing it. In other words, desserts made with molasses or honey are not lower in calories than those made with sugar itself."
Emphasizing that a product being labeled as "light" does not mean it is very low in calories and can be consumed without limits, Akdağ said, "It may contain fewer calories compared to its counterparts, but this does not necessarily mean it is very low in calories."
Akdağ reiterated that the issue ultimately comes down to food literacy, as all reliably produced and labeled foods, according to regulations, have a nutrition facts table and allergen warnings. She emphasized that reading these is a responsibility we must take on as consumers.
3) Is it legal and correct for ingredients in products to be used in very low amounts as flavoring agents?
Akdağ stated that the limits for flavoring agents and which flavoring agent can be added to which product are regulated by legal rules, and that manufacturers are required to comply with the minimum and maximum limits. She added that these regulations are based on the relevant regulations in the EU, and any practice not permitted in the EU is also not allowed in our country, and she further added:
"Sometimes, these limits can be very low due to consumer preferences and taste balance. For example, if you increase the amount of flavoring in a product too much, sensory characteristics may emerge that consumers would not like, and the product may not be accepted."
With the law published in November 2020, penalties for the imitation or adulteration of food or feed and actions that could harm human health were significantly increased. The aim of raising the penalties is to enhance deterrence and protect human health.
Food Additives Existed Thousands of Years Ago
4) There are also additives used in products. These substances are listed in the "Ingredients" section of the packaging as codes. Could you briefly explain these substances, known as E numbers?
Akdağ stated, "The definition of food additives in the Turkish Food Codex is 'substances that, whether or not they have nutritional value, are not consumed as food on their own or used as characteristic components of food, but are added to food during production, treatment, processing, preparation, packaging, transport, or storage stages for technological purposes, and are expected to become part of the food either directly or indirectly, along with their by-products.'" She explained that food additives are used to protect food from harmful microorganisms and oxidation, and to preserve and enhance the nutritional value and sensory properties (taste, smell, color, texture) of food.
Akdağ emphasized that although the use of food additives is often perceived as something that entered our lives with modernization and industrialization, its history actually dates back thousands of years. According to records, the Egyptians used coloring agents and flavors, while the Romans used chemicals such as potassium nitrate and spices as preservatives.
Today, after years of extensive scientific research and approval by international authorities, food additives are some of the most strictly regulated chemicals in terms of protecting human health. When we talk about chemicals, there is no need to be afraid, as everything in nature is made up of chemicals.
Akdağ stated that, for the additives being examined, the most sensitive experimental animals are used to determine the level at which no negative effects are observed when consumed throughout their lifetime. She explained that an additional safety factor is then applied to determine the acceptable daily intake level. She also emphasized that all these studies undergo evaluation by the expert committee JECFA, jointly established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and that the E numbers are associated with food additives that have successfully passed through all these processes and are considered safe for use.
Akdağ stated that the practice in our country is fully aligned with international standards and that E numbers are classified according to their usage characteristics. She explained the function class of each E number within the following table.
If we remove food additives from our lives, there would be an increase in chronic diseases, epidemics, and scarcity.
5) How and in what quantities should these substances be used? Do they pose any risks to human health?
Ebru Akdağ described the process of adding additives to foods with the following words:
"For an additive, the value that will not affect any organ or physiological system when consumed daily throughout the lifetime of the most sensitive test animal is determined. This value is then divided by a safety factor to establish the level at which it is permitted for use as a food additive. The safety factor is applied as at least 100, and it is increased further if there is any uncertainty. In other words, the permitted usage level for a food additive that meets all safety conditions is 1/100th of the dose at which no adverse effects are observed, even in the most sensitive case. Moreover, regardless of dosage, no food additive that is carcinogenic and/or genotoxic (damaging to genes) is approved for use."
Akdağ emphasized that if we were to eliminate food additives from our lives today, we would face an increase in chronic diseases, outbreaks, famine, and nutritional deficiencies. She highlighted that food additives, when consumed in accordance with regulations and at the recommended doses, are safe for a healthy individual. However, she stressed the importance of maintaining dietary variety to avoid constant exposure to the same food additives.
Are food packages deceiving us? What do the labels mean? Here are a food engineer's warnings and the products they say "Do not buy."
5) How should we read product labels when buying packaged products?
"First of all, nutritional values, expiration date, and allergen information must be checked," said Akdağ, reminding that the difference between the expiration date and the recommended consumption date should not be forgotten.
Akdağ stated, "Nutritional values should be checked, the ingredients section should be reviewed, and statements that inform consumers about the product should also be examined. For example, the 'No trans fat' logo indicates that the product contains less than 1% trans fat."
DO NOT BUY THESE
Is there a specific ingredient or component in a product that should absolutely never be present, something you would say, "If this is included, do not buy it"?
Akdağ stated that all ingredients in a product are safe as long as they are produced in compliance with regulations and not consumed excessively, meaning there is no single ingredient that warrants saying, "Do not buy if this is included." However, she warned that if you have a food allergy or intolerance, you must absolutely check for these on the label.
Akdağ listed the products she would label as "Do not buy" as follows:
"Products sold openly without supervision, where how they are produced or stored is unknown. These include raw milk, openly sold tomato paste, herbal mixtures, and nuts. However, this warning applies to any product sold openly and uncontrolled without Ministry approval and supervision."
6) The use of plant-based materials instead of meat in sausage production is a form of fraud that can only be detected through laboratory analysis. So, what should consumers pay attention to when buying sausages? Is it possible to determine if the purchased sausage is healthy?
"According to the Turkish Food Codex, adding plant-based protein to sausage is prohibited. It is not possible to visually determine whether the purchased sausage poses any food safety risk (except in cases like mold)," said Akdağ. She emphasized that, as with many foods, detecting fraud in sausages requires laboratory analysis, and it is almost impossible for consumers to distinguish this on their own. Therefore, to minimize risk, attention should be paid to sausages sold openly or at prices far below market value. Akdağ advised opting for sausages from well-known brands sold at reputable locations.
In recent months, inspections conducted by authorities revealed that some supermarkets were selling sausages made entirely from plants instead of meat. When samples were collected and analyzed in laboratories, fraudulent sausages produced solely from plants without any animal cells were identified. Additionally, the "Regulation on Amending the Turkish Food Codex Regulation," prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was published in the Official Gazette and came into effect in recent months. According to this regulation, "No food component other than pomegranate, pomegranate juice, pomegranate juice concentrate, and water may be added to pomegranate molasses."
OTHER NAMING PRACTICES CAUSING CONFUSION
7) Products giving the impression of pomegranate molasses, such as pomegranate-flavored sauce, pomegranate sauce, pomegranate molasses sauce, pomegranate-flavored syrup, and pomegranate molasses syrup, are being sold under various names. Within this scope, products not authorized for domestic market distribution will not be allowed on the market after June 30, 2024. What would you like to say about this?
"Pomegranate molasses is a product obtained by caramelizing the sugar in pomegranate juice and evaporating its water. Pomegranate syrup is produced by squeezing the juice from pomegranates. This syrup is thickened with heat to produce pomegranate molasses. A type of sauce is made by cleaning and pressing pomegranates, filtering their juice, evaporating the water in a vacuum tank at a specific temperature to obtain a concentrate, and then diluting it with purified water and adding glucose syrup, acidity regulators, colorants, and preservatives. In fact, the label on the product reads 'pomegranate molasses sauce,' but since most consumers do not pay much attention to the product name and mistakenly think it is pomegranate molasses, such a legal regulation was introduced. With the removal of pomegranate molasses sauces from the market, this confusion will be resolved," said Akdağ, emphasizing that the key issue here is to improve consumers' food literacy.
Akdağ stated that there could be other naming practices that confuse consumers. According to a study, approximately 80% of consumers in our country do not know the difference between the "expiration date" and the "recommended consumption date," which are among the most basic pieces of information. She added:
"Food literacy and the principles of proper nutrition should be included in school curricula starting from primary education so that consumers can make informed choices when they reach the age to select their own food."
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