Denmark Food Labels

A new label on Danish meat products will encourage consumers to choose more animal-friendly, and likely more expensive products. The label will inform consumers about the living standards of pigs before the animal's meat is used for pork steaks and bacon rashers. The idea is that it would encourage Danes to reward farmers that made an extra effort for pig welfare. Three-star pigs will have spent a stipulated minimum amount of time outside and have slept on straw. The label will give up to three stars depending on a number of conditions relating to the welfare of pigs. 
New labeling on other food packaging will enable consumers in Denmark to see the effect of their shopping on the environment. The Minister for the Environment wants to give consumers the means to assess in supermarkets the environmental impact of products. “My impression is that there is a demand for knowledge about how individual consumers can contribute to improving world climate,” the minister said. Based on voluntary climate markings on food packaging, the government will launch a campaign to make it easier for consumers to make climate-friendly choices, according to the plan.

Seems like the Ministry of Environment and Food (Miljø- og Fødevareministeriet) has been eating some of its own happy bacon.

Food Label Updates

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has been urging its members to use one of just two phrases: 'use by' or 'best if used by'. It is trying to eliminate the "sell by" and "best by". The labels were confusing to consumers.

According to the GMA, the phrase “best if used by” will indicate to the consumer that, after a specified date, the product may not taste or perform as expected, but can still be used or consumed. Food would still be safe to eat after the date had passed.

A “use by” date would appear on a small number of time or temperature sensitive products that should be consumed by the date on the package and discarded after. That phrase would indicate foods should be thrown away after the date had passed.


Maybe they could be even more clear and use "discard after" to make sure we all understand.

FDA Definitions

Food labels were once meant to make things perfectly clear, so we could make good food buying decisions. However, like most governmental regulations absolute rules become quickly obfuscated. The "per serving" is the thing to watch as many manufacturers make serving size humorously low to get a better rating.

"Low Fat" can mean there's up to 3 grams of fat per serving. "Fat Free" can have 0.5 grams and still count.

"Light" can mean a number of things, from the literal (the color) to the more concrete (50% the fat of plain-label), but it can also be used to mean simply "less" calories, without any actual figures. "Low Calorie," on the other hand, must have 40 calories or less per serving, and "Fewer Calories" actually means the product must have at least 25% less calories per serving.

The term "Light" used on package labeling has absolutely nothing to do with fat, sugar, or anything else. If a product "has been a long history of use of the term," then it can keep using it regardless of nutritional content.

Any product with "organic" on its packaging or display materials must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. "100 Percent Organic" products must show an ingredient list, the name and address of the handler (bottler, distributor, importer, manufacturer, packer, processor) of the finished product, and the name and seal of the organic certifier. These products should contain no chemicals, additives, synthetics, pesticides or genetically engineered substances.

"USDA Organic" products must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. The label must contain a list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic, ingredients in the product, and the name of the organic certifier.

"Made With Organic" products must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The label must contain a list that identifies the organic, as well as the non-organic, ingredients in the product, along with the name of the organic certifier.