u n i t 1 : r e ad i n g f o o d l ab e l s

UNIT 1: Reading Food Labels

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Lesson 1: Name and Description of Food 4 Learning Targets 4 Health Check 4 Learn about It! 6 Check Your Understanding 11 Health Care 12

Lesson 2: Food Safety Labels 14 Learning Targets 14 Health Check 14 Learn about It! 16 Health Care 23

Lesson 3: Comparing Nutritional Values of Food Products 24 Learning Targets 24 Health Check 24 Learn about It! 27 Health Care 33

Pro-health Challenge 34

Self-Check 36

Bibliography 38

Glossary 39

1 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

GRADE 4

UNIT 1 Reading Food Labels

Fig. I. How often do you read food labels?

Source: Under public domain from Wikimedia Commons.

Introduction Food is important to humans as it serves as the primary source of energy. Energy from food allows us to function properly and perform our tasks on a day to day basis. With the advancement of technology in food processing, several types of food products are now available in the market. It ranges from preserved fruits and meat up to ready-to-eat meals that only require reheating before consumption. Food labels, placed on packaging, inform consumers about the processing and the raw ingredients of these products. It contains relevant information that tells the consumer about the nature of the food product and guides them on its proper consumption. Upon buying a food product in the supermarket with your mother, how often do you read the food labels before putting it into your grocery basket? Are you aware of the common information present in food labels?


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Looking_at_Food_Labels_%28098%29_%287396780726%29.jpg/800px-Looking_at_Food_Labels_%28098%29_%287396780726%29.jpg

Lesson 1: Name and Description of Food Learning Targets

In this lesson, you should be able to: ● identify the importance of the name and description in food product labels; ● demonstrate how to check the name and description of different food products;

and, ● enumerate important food description information present in food labels.

Health Check

Make Your Food Product Logo

A good product name and logo is the first thing that consumers see on the package. It must be clear, easy to remember, and creative enough to catch the attention of the consumers. Materials:

● bond paper ● pencil ● marker ● coloring materials

Procedure:

1. As a young entrepreneur, think of a food product that you want to make and sell to the market.

2. Once you have decided on what product to make, think of a creative name for your product.

3. Using your art materials, make a logo for the name of the product you want to sell to the market. Be creative in designing your product logo, making it eye-catching and


easy to remember by the consumers. 4. Present your work in class and explain the design of your product name and logo.

Guide Questions:

1. Do you think a food product's name is an important part of food labels? Why? 2. What do you think is the importance of having a good name for the food products

available in the market? 3. What are the common characteristics of logos for food product available in the

market?


Learn about It! All products available in the market comes with product labels. It is essential in informing the consumer about the nature and the content of the products. Labels are important especially in food products to allow consumers to know the content and other significant information about the product before consuming it. In this lesson, find out the importance of the food product name and description indicated in the food labels that you encounter in the market. What is the common information that you can find in the food labels? How can it help you decide which brand of the same food product are you going to pick?

Food product labels are information printed on the packaging of all food products available in the market. All food products in the market are required to provide food labels to communicate relevant information to the consumer. For the food product name and descriptions, labels often include the product name, raw material ingredients, product content amount, manufacturing date, and best before or expiration date.


Food Product Name Label Like any other product in the market, product name labels for food contains the brand name and the generic product type. The brand name refers to the trade name of the product that identifies it from other products of the same kind that are available in the market. Most of the time, the brand name also refers to the manufacturer of the product. The brand name always comes with the '®' symbol indicating that the product name is registered and solely owned by the manufacturing company. Another important part of the product name label is the generic product type. It describes what form food product is present inside the packaging. For example, it can be dried powdered milk or liquid fresh milk. It can also be canned sardines in tomato sauce or sardines in vegetable oil. This part of the food label is needed to set proper consumer expectation on the content of the food product they are going to buy. Incorporating the product type in the label is also important to help consumers properly identify and get the item that they want.

Fig. 2. A sample food product name label.

The sample food product name is illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown, the registered brand name of the product, Cheetah, is indicated flowed by the ® sign. Also, the generic product type or classification of the product as carbonated orange drink comes after the brand name.


Food Product Description Labels The food product description is another vital part of the food labels. This part indicates specific information about the nature of the product content and manufacturing details. It often includes the product of raw ingredients, amount of the product content, manufacturer details, exact manufacturing date, nutritional content table, and the expiration date. This information is essential to properly guide the consumers regarding the whereabouts of the food product.

● Ingredients - This part of the food label enumerates the raw materials and chemicals used in making the food product. It must reflect the primary component of the food products and the chemical ingredients like preservatives used to cure the product for it to last longer in the packaging.

● Amount of product content - This part tells the amount in weight or volume of the product. This should exactly reflect the expected content of the food inside the packaging.

● Manufacturer details - It contains all the necessary details about the manufacturing company that produced the product. Most of the time, it reflects the name of the company, address where the products were manufactured, and other contact details of the manufacturer.

● Manufacturing date - It tells the date that the product was made or manufactured. ● Expiration date - It indicates the date in which the product should be best consumed.

The product is considered expired if it is not consumed after the expiry date. The safety of the consumer is at risk since spoilage may occur.

● Best before date - In other product, the label includes the best before date instead of the expiration date. It is the date in which the product is still safe to consume, however, the manufacturer cannot guarantee the quality of the product.

● Nutritional content label - This is one of the most important parts of the food label. It indicates the nutritional value present in the food. It lists down the nutrient contents like sugar, vitamins, and minerals the consumer may obtain from the product.


Fig. 3. A sample food product description label.

Importance of Food Product Name and Description Labels The following includes the importance of product name and description in food products to the consumers:

● Avoiding fake products - Providing the product name of the food is influential for

consumers to avoid fake products available in the market. Consuming counterfeit and compromised products can cause a health risk to the person consuming the product.

● Avoiding misconception about the products - Knowing the expected amount and content of the product will set the right expectations to the consumer once they open the packaging of the product. It also informs them about the materials used to produce the products that cannot be easily distinguished because it is mixed together.

● Avoiding consumption of expired products - Eating an expired food can cause poisoning because of spoiled food. Indicating the expiration or best before date helps


the consumer avoid eating expired food that may pose health risks. ● Knowing the health benefits of the product - With the nutritional label, consumers

can expect what nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they can get from the food that they will eat. It provides an idea about the health benefits they can get from the product.

● Knowing the manufacturers - Knowing the information about the manufacturers of the food products on the market is important especially if there are complaints about the products. Consumers can easily communicate with the company if there are questions or complaints about the product.


Check Your Understanding

A. Write true if the given statement is correct, otherwise, write false.

1. The brand name is similar to the manufacturer name. 2. Product name includes the generic product type. 3. Direction for consumption of the product is part of the product description. 4. Product label is required in all commercial food products in the market. 5. Ingredients label contain all the raw materials used in producing the product.


B. Classify each given part if it belongs to a product name or product description label.

1. brand name 2. ingredients 3. expiration date 4. manufacturing date 5. manufacturer details

Health Care

Comparing Food Products

Different brands of a generic type of food product vary in content and ingredients. See how food products vary per brand. Materials:

● two different brands of the same food product (ex. cupcakes, soft drinks, or candy) ● pen ● paper

Procedure:

1. By using the two brands of the same food product type, compare the following aspects of the product by getting the information indicated in the labels:

a. content amount b. ingredients c. completeness of label

2. Summarize your observation using the given table below.


Table 1. Summary of difference between the two brands.

Criteria Brand 1 Brand 2

Content amount

Ingredients

Completeness of label

Guide Questions:

1. How do the two brands of the same product differ in terms of the given criteria? 2. Which brand is better based on your observations? 3. Do you think the labels were helpful in letting you know which brand is better?

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Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

Lesson 2: Food Safety Labels Learning Targets

In this lesson, you should be able to: ● identify the importance of food safety labels; ● demonstrate how to check food safety labels; and, ● enumerate important food safety signs in food labels.

Health Check

Interpreting the Labels

Food labels often come with different signs that provide information regarding the nature of the product. Some of these labels are common, while some are not common. Materials:

● printed labels signs (provided below)


Photos from pixabay.com

Procedure:

1. Form groups of four. 2. Assign each printed sign to a person in the group. 3. Each person must try to interpret the meaning of the sign by acting it in front of the

other group members. 4. Without showing the sign, the group members must be able to guess which sign was

assigned to each person. Guide Questions:

1. Why is it important to be familiar with signs? 2. Do you think signs are effective in informing people with needed information? 3. Is it possible to use signs in food labels?


Learn about It!

Aside from the product name and product description, another important part of the food product labels are the safety labels. Food safety labels are information on the food packaging that provides the idea to the user on how to properly handle and use the product to preserve the quality of the food and avoid any particular risk once they eat it. The food safety labels often include information such as food label symbols, directions for use, and proper storage of the food products. Part of the Food Safety Labels Food Label Symbols Food label symbols are warning signs that provide consumers with information on how the product was processed and the possible risks when using, storing, disposing, and consuming the food product. In addition, this includes the different certifications of the product as a proof that it follows standard processing procedures established by the government and other concerned organizations. The following are typical examples of food label symbols used in food products available in the market.

● Food and Drug Administration Approved Sign - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government office that regulates the quality of all food products in the Philippine market. Manufacturers need to get their product approved by the FDA to make sure that it is following the set standard by the government. Indicating the FDA approved symbol on the food packaging is needed to inform consumers that it was prepared with the safety procedure recommended by the government.


Fig. 5. Food and Drug Administration label on food packaging.

● Food Manufacturing Certification Sign - This part includes symbols certifying that

the product was manufactured by following the right manufacturing procedure. The most common symbols present in the food products are the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) symbols. These two indicate that the food was prepared under strict and careful safety procedures to make sure that it is safe to be consumed by people.

Fig. 6. Food manufacturing certification symbols.

● Food Allergen Symbol - This sign provides information on the presence of a

particular food allergen in the product. Food allergens are components of the food that can cause irritation and allergy to some people. It is essential to inform people with allergies to prohibit eating the products and avoid any allergic reactions after consumption. Usual food allergens are gluten and nuts in baked products and seafood in canned food products. For some people who cannot properly digest milk, milk product indicates that it contains lactose.


Fig. 7. Food allergen symbols in food packaging.

● Packaging Recycling Sign - Most of the food products in the market have plastic

containers. Each type of plastic packaging has different recycling criteria and reusability so manufacturers include the recycling sign indicating how many times the plastic container must be used for the same purpose. It provides the consumer with the idea of how many times they could keep the container after consuming all the content. Using it beyond the recommended number of recycling cycle could pose some health risk to the consumers.

Fig. 8. Food packaging recycling symbol.


Direction for Use The direction for use part indicates the information for proper handling and use of the products. For food products, it usually informs the consumers on how to cook and process the food after bringing it out of the packaging. It suggests the amount of product must be used per serving and what other materials must be mixed to get the expected quality from the product. For example, powdered milk products provide instructions on the right amount of milk to be placed in a glass of water to have the right milk mixture. Moreover, this part includes information about the sensitivity of the product once it is exposed to or mixed with other materials. The figure below is the direction for use label of a food color product. It provides information on the proper use of the content of the product by giving the right ratio of materials needed and the right way of preparing it.

Fig. 9. Packaging showing the direction for use label of the product.


Storage Instruction The last common part of the food safety label of the product is the storage condition instruction. This part tells the required condition for the storage of the product to preserve its best state. Most of the time, it reflects the necessary humidity (whether dry or wet place) and temperature for storing the product. It is important because food products are prone to spoilage and when not stored properly, it may degrade and spoil. Consuming a spoiled or contaminated food can pose a health risk to the consumer. At the same time, it allows the consumer to get the optimum quality of the product even if it was stored for an extended period. Lastly, it often includes the phrase, “keep out of reach of children” to indicate that the product is not recommended to be handled by children for safety purposes.

Fig. 10. Packaging showing the storage instruction for the product.


Importance of Food Safety Labels There are several reasons why food safety labels are needed in food packaging. The following are the importance of food safety labels to consumers:

● Allows the consumer to know if the product is safe to use or not - Some ingredients of the product gives the consumer an idea if the product is safe to use, safe to use with precautions, or not safe to use. Some products, especially food products, may contain ingredients that may cause allergic reactions. If you encounter these warnings on certain products, you must obey the notice to ensure your health and safety.

● Inform consumers on the proper usage, storage, and disposal of the product - Food product labels must contain instructions on how to use, where to store, and how to dispose of the product correctly. If you will follow the instructions to use the product, the manufacturer ensures that you will use the products properly. Moreover, proper storage ensures that the product will last long and useful. Following the instructions is as important as reading the product label because it keeps you safe from overusing the product.

● Reading food product labels give warnings of possible risk - The safety symbols are warning signs that tell consumers of the possible risk that could happen if they consume the product. Some safety symbols inform the consumer if the product contains ingredients that could harm children. There are also warning signs that tell if the product is not safe for kids, and that it should be out of their reach.




1. Direction for use contains the expiration date of the product. 2. Proper storage of food product is important to preserve its quality. 3. Food safety labels are required for food products. 4. Presence of allergens in food products must be indicated in the packaging. 5. Food safety is important to consumers.


B. Classify each given part if it is important or not important part of food safety

labels in products.

1. proper storage 2. cooking instruction 3. brand name 4. manufacturing date 5. manufacturer details

Health Care

Risk of not Reading Food Safety Labels

Reading food safety labels is important. If neglected, it may lead to some risks and harm the consumers. Materials:

● pencil ● paper

Procedure:

1. Form groups of ten people. 2. Have a group discussion on the possible negative outcomes of neglecting food safety

labels. 3. After brainstorming, create a role play showing the listed negative effects discussed

by your group. 4. Present your role play in class.

Guide Questions:

1. What is the top risk of neglecting food safety labels listed by your group? 2. Are there common ideas between your group and other groups from the class? 3. As a student, do you think it is part of your responsibility to read food safety labels?


Lesson 3: Comparing Nutritional Values of Food Products

Learning Targets

In this lesson, you should be able to: ● understand the common information in the nutritional value label of food

products; and, ● analyze the nutritional value of two or more food products by comparing the

information in their food labels.

Health Check

Check the Food Product Ingredients

Based from the ingredient label, a consumer may judge the food product if it is a healthy food or not. Familiarize yourself with the ingredient labels in food products in the market. Materials:

● print out of sample ingredient labels provided below. Procedure:

1. Read the sample ingredient label of everyday food products in the market. 2. Discuss in class whether the food product is a healthy food or not based on the list of

ingredients on the label. 3. Justify your reasoning in front of the class and see if your classmates have the same

idea about each label.


Product Ingredient label

Bread

Potato chips

Canned cereal and meat


Guide Questions: 1. What information can we get from the ingredient list label? 2. Why is it important to check the ingredient list? 3. Do you think all buyers must be aware of the different ingredients being used to the

food products that their family is consuming?


Learn about It!

People check the food labels for different reasons. It can be for knowing the product better, for safety reasons, or the most common, to review the nutritional content of the product. A lot of consumers would like to know how much nutrients they can get from the food that they will eat. It is to confirm how to balance their diet and make sure that they get all the required nutrients needed by the body. Nutrition facts label or the nutrition information panel is a label required for all food products in the market. This part provides the overall nutrition guide for the content of the food for consumer general educational purposes. It consists of several components, namely: serving size, calorie amount, percent daily value, nutrition term, and vitamin and mineral content. These are important to inform the consumers about the number of nutrients they can get in every serving of the food product. At the same time, it allows consumers to compare and contrast different products based on its nutrient content and pick which one is more nutritious and could benefit their help. Checking Parts of the Nutrition Facts Label In checking the nutritional facts label, one should start at the top portion of the label until the bottom part. Each component is related with one another in providing overall information about the nutrient content of the food product. Serving Size The first part to check when looking at the nutrition facts label is the serving size plus the number of servings present in the package. The serving size is the standard measure that allows a consumer to compare food of the same type easily. It has units of cups or pieces together with the metric amount like the number of grams or volume.


The amount of energy that you can get from the food depends on the number of servings present in each package. A consumer must check the serving size and know how many servings are present in each food package. A consumer must always ask, "How many servings am I consuming?” In the sample label, per serving of macaroni and cheese corresponds to one cup. If a person consumed the whole package, it would mean that the entire two cups were consumed.

Fig. 12. Serving size part of the nutritional facts label.

Calories Content The calorie is a measurement of how much energy is present per serving of food. The calorie label of the nutritional facts label helps the consumer to manage their calorie intake and reduce their weight. The total number of servings consumed is the predictor of the amount of calorie intake. Another important part to check is the number of calories from the fat section of the label. It contributes largely to the total amount of calories present in the food. For example, a total of 250 calories is present in one serving of macaroni and cheese, and each package has two servings. This means that the food package contains a total of 500 calories if you consumed the entire package.

Fig. 13. Calorie content part of the nutritional facts label.


Nutrient Content Nutrients are the chemical composition of the food materials that the body needs to perform its function. The nutrient content section shows the key nutrients can impact the health of the consumers and present it into two main groups:

● Nutrients that should be limited in the diet - This part contains the total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium that are considered to be bad for the health of humans if present in excessive amount. Eating too much fat or sodium from salt may increase the risk of some chronic diseases like hypertension and heart disease. The amount of each component is presented in the nutrient content part to help people calculate their fats and salt intake.

● Nutrients that should be increased in the diet - This part shows the dietary fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron present in the food. Consumers must get enough amount of these nutrients to have a balanced diet. Eating enough of these nutrients can improve health status and reduce the risk of diseases.

Fig. 14. Nutrient content part of the nutritional facts label. The image on top shows the fats and sodium

content, while the image below shows the essential nutrients.


Footnote The * in the %Daily Value presented in the nutrition content refers to the footnote that is similar in all food labels of different products. The reference relates to the "%Daily Value” based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet recommended to a female person. This part of the nutrition facts label provides information on how much percentage of recommended calorie intake per day is provided by the food product. It shows how fats, sodium, and other nutrients contribute to the calories present in the food. By having these numbers, consumers can compute for their calorie intake every day and make sure that they will not exceed the recommended value.

Fig. 15. Footnote part of the nutrition facts label.

Comparing Food Products Based on Nutrition Label Each consumer can compare the quality of the nutrients of the food products by simply checking the nutrition fact labels. A consumer must (1) review the number of servings per package. Given this, they are capable of computing for the (2) total calories that the food content can provide to the body. Moreover, the (3) amount of fats and sodium in the food can be seen in the label. A better product must contain fewer fats and sodium as it should be limited in the diet. On the other hand, (4) vitamins and mineral content of the food must be high to tell that the food product is better. Lastly, (5) one should check how much food contributes to the amount of calories a person must take each day. With the two nutritional fact labels provided below, the food product on the left is much better. The label on the left has less calorie content that is good for people who are controlling their calorie intake. Also, there are fewer fats and sodium present in the food that should be minimized in our diet.


Fig. 16. Comparing two nutritional fact labels.




1. Fats must be limited in our diet. 2. Sodium must be taken in higher amounts to be healthy. 3. Daily value percentage is important to be noted by consumers. 4. An average person is recommended to take 2000 calories per day. 5. The amount of calories is dependent on the number of servings per package.


B. Put a check (✓) if the given part is present in the nutrition facts label or cross (x) if it is normally absent.

1. calorie amount 2. serving size 3. nutrient content 4. daily value percentage 5. brand name

Health Care

Nutrition Debate

Most food products in the market vary in terms of nutrient content and quality. How do you check which product is better? Materials:

● two brands of milk product

Procedure: 1. Divide the class into two groups. 2. Different brands of milk will be assigned to each group. 3. Brainstorm within the group to prove that the brand assigned to you is a better

product. 4. Conduct a debate proving that the product assigned to each group is better regarding

its quality and nutritional content. Guide Questions:

1. What details about the product did you check to prove that it is better? 2. What part of the food label do you think is the most useful to prove your point? 3. Based on the activity, do you think regular checking of food labels is important?


Pro-health Challenge

Making Your Own Food Product Label

Each student is asked to create a food packaging design for their product. The packaging must contain all the necessary labels needed for food products. Creativity is required in designing an eye-catching food packaging but at the same time, providing all essential information about the products. The final output of this activity must be presented in class and shall be graded by the teacher.

Criteria Beginning (0-12 points)

Developing (13-16 points)

Accomplished (17-20 points)

Score

Content (Focus on details/events are clearly evident; it is clearly related to the topic.)

Content is incomplete and not organized

Content is complete but not organized

Content is complete and organized

Creativity (artistic output)

No creativity and rushed output

Minimal creativity and effort in the output

Well creative and much effort exerted in the output

Language (spelling, mechanics, grammar and usage)

Communication skill needs improvement

Intermediate communication skill

Good communication skill

Key Guide Question What parts must be presented in the food label to provide complete details about the product?


Reflective Questions

Briefly answer each question.

1. If there are no product names in the food label, what could be the possible implications to consumers?

2. What do you think will happen if the nutritional fact label is incomplete? 3. What is the responsibility of consumers in buying the food products? 4. What is the implication if there are no product details provided in the food label? 5. What is the importance of food label to students like you?


Self-Check

Skills

I think I need more time and

assistance.

I have a minimal understanding of it.

I am confident that I can do this with ease.

Identify information provided on the food label.

Explains the importance of reading food labels in selecting and purchasing foods to eat.

Demonstrate the ability to interpret the information provided in the food label.

Analyze the nutritional value of two or more food products by comparing the information in their food labels.


Wrap Up

Food Labels contain important information about the product.


Bibliography

Chew the Facts. “Sodium and Saturated Fat: The Proposed Dietary Guidelines” Accessed

October 27, 2018. https://chewthefacts.com/sodium-and-saturated-fat-the-proposed-dietary-guidelines/

Food Safety. “Food Labels Are Serious Business” Accessed October 27, 2018.

https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/food_labels.html. Gega, Peter C. and Peters, Joseph M. 1998. Concepts and Experiences in Elementary School

Science. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., U.S. Handwerker, Mark J. 2004. Science Essentials Elementary Level. New York: Jossey-Bass Inc., U.S. Health Design. “Healthy Choices: The Importance of Reading Food Labels” Accessed October

27, 2018. https://healthdesignnh.com/healthy-choices-importance-reading-food-labels/.

Peters, Joseph M. and Stout, David L. 2011. Science in Elementary Edition, Methods,

Concepts, and Inquiries. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., U.S.


Glossary Brand name The trade name of the product that identifies it from other

products of the same type that are available in the market.

Calorie The measurement of how much energy is present per serving of food.

Food label symbols Warning signs that provide consumers with information on how the product was processed and the possible risks when using, storing, disposing, and consuming the food product.

Food product labels Printed information on the packaging of all food products available in the market.

Food product description

The part that indicates specific information about the nature of the product content and manufacturing details.

Food safety labels Information on the food packaging that provides an idea to the consumer on how to properly handle and use the product to preserve the quality of the food and avoid any particular risk once eaten.

Generic product type The form food product present inside the packaging.

Nutrients The chemical component of the food materials that the body needs to perform its function.

Nutrition facts label Label that provides the overall nutrition guide for the content of the food for consumer general educational purposes.


Serving size The standard measure that allows the consumer to easily compare food of the same type.


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