Thursday, January 9, 2014

The EU Regulation 1169/2011 on Food Information for Consumers vs. GDSN - A Closer Look into Nutrition Declaration

In this article of our blog series on the European regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, I want to discuss the nutrition declaration in closer detail with reference to some actual examples.

What does the new EU regulation say about nutrition declaration?


Here are two excerpts from the introductory statement:

  • "(35 ) To facilitate the comparison of products in different package sizes, it is appropriate to retain the requirement that the mandatory nutrition declaration should refer to 100 g or 100 ml amounts and, if appropriate, to allow additional portion-based declarations. Therefore, where food is prepacked and individual portions or consumption units are identified, a nutrition declaration per portion or per consumption unit, in addition to the expression per 100 g or per 100 ml, should be allowed. ... "
  • "(41) To appeal to the average consumer and to serve the informative purpose for which it is introduced, and given the current level of knowledge on the subject of nutrition, the nutrition information provided should be simple and easily understood. ..."

In the subsequent articles the mandatory information is explained in more detail. The following is a very abbreviated summary:

  • Article 30 defines the mandatory content of the nutrition declaration. These mandatory data are called "BIG 7" (the nutrition declaration with the additional specification of fiber is called "BIG 8"):
    "... The mandatory nutrition declaration shall include the following:
    (a) energy value; and 

    (b) the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt
     ..."
  • Article 32 defines the amount to which the mandatory nutrition declaration must refer: "...Expression per 100g or per 100 ml
    (1) The energy value and the amount of nutrients referred to in Article 30 (1)-(5) shall be expressed using the measurement units listed in Annex XV.

    (2) The energy value and the amount of nutrients referred to in Article 30 (1)-(5) shall be expressed per 100g or per 100ml. ..."
  • Article 33 defines optional additional nutrition declaration per unit of consumption: 
    "... Expression on a per portion basis or per consumption unit. 
    (1) In the following cases, the energy value and the amounts of nutrients referred to in Article 30 (1)-(5) may be expressed per portion and/or per consumption unit, easily recognisable by the consumer, provided that the portion or the unit used is quantified on the label and that the number of portions or units contained in the package is stated:

    (a) in addition to the form of expression per 100 g or per 100 ml referred to in Article 32 (2); ..."
  • Article 34 defines the presentation. " ... (1) The particulars referred to in Article 30 (1) and (2) shall be included in the same field of vision. They shall be presented together in a clear format and, where appropriate, in the order of presentation provided for in Annex XV.
    (2) The particulars referred to in Article 30 (1) and (2) shall be presented, if space permits, in tabular format with the numbers aligned. ..."

    The nutritional information is to be presented as follows (according to Annex XV "EXPRESSION AND PRESENTATION OF NUTRITION DECLARATION " ): " ... The units of measurement to be used in the nutrition declaration for energy (kilojoules (kJ) and kilocalories (kcal)) and mass (grams (g), milligrams (mg) or micrograms (µg)) and the order of presentation of the information, as appropriate, shall be the following:"
    - energy (kJ/kcal), mandatory ("BIG7")

    - fat (g), mandatory ("BIG7")

    of which:

      - saturates (g), mandatory ("BIG7")

      - mono-unsaturates (g), optional

      - polyunsaturates (g), optional

    - carbohydrate (g), mandatory ("BIG7")

    of which:

      - sugar (g), mandatory ("BIG7")

      - polyols (g), optional

      - starch (g), optional

    - fibre (g), optional (additional information of the "BIG8")

    - protein (g), mandatory ("BIG7")

    - salt (g), mandatory ("BIG7")
  • For the nutrition information on "salt", the regulation defines:
    " ... ( 37) Since one of the objectives pursued by this Regulation is to provide a basis to the final consumer for making informed choices, it is important to ensure in this respect that the final consumer easily understands the information provided on the labelling. Therefore it is appropriate to use on the labelling the term 'salt' instead of the corresponding term of the nutrient 'sodium'. ..."

    Annex I "Specific definitions" defines how the value for salt is calculated based on sodium: 'salt' means the salt equivalent content calculated using the formula: salt = sodium × 2,5".


When does the nutrition declaration become effective?

The nutrition declaration is mandatory from 13/12/2016 onwards. If voluntary declarations are being provided before this date, they have to correspond to the regulation from 13/12/2014 onwards.

Product examples and their mapping in GDSN

Looking at product examples today, the format and presentation of nutritional values can be more or less divided into three classes:

  1. "single-column" - the strictly mandatory declaration, i.e. the nutritional information per 100 g or 100 ml
  2. "double column" - in addition to the mandatory declaration, information is provided for every individual portion size
  3. c. "triple column" - the mandatory declaration, the portion size and an additional percentaged quantity, based on a daily intake standard (reference standards for the daily intake are listed in annex XIII of the regulation). On these products, the "1+4 model", developed by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, is often additionally applied. This model declares the energy content and the amounts of fat, saturates, sugar and salt per serving as well as the percentage of its calories and nutrients in relation to the recommended daily intake.

Additionally, the "Representation in the GDSN data model" shows how these informations are transported throughout the GDSN. It also illustrates how much interpretative and processing work is needed for a representation apart from just the data transfer task.



Product example 1 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Single-column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt.






Product example 2 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Single-column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt, plus the "1+4 model". 

Portion size is one 250ml serving.

















Product example 3 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Double column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt. 

Portion size is one biscuit (24g).


Product example 4 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Double column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt.

Additionally, vitamin and trace element information are being listed as well as their percentage in relation to the recommended daily intake.


Vitamin B1 is not specified on the GDSN UNInfoods list.

The "1+4 model" is located on the front of the packaging.

The portion size is based on a prepared serving of cereal with milk.






















Product example 5 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Double column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt, plus the "1+4 model". 

Portion size is one 25g waffle.


























Product example 6 and representation in the GDSN data model

"Triple column", Big 8 complete, sequence standards according to the EU regulation not met, lists sodium instead of salt. 

Portion size contains five biscuits (ca. 34g).




























EU regulation conformity of the product examples


It is striking that none of the considered examples is EU regulation compliant yet. On all products the voluntary nutrition declaration according to directive 90/496/EEC in form of the "Big 8" (energy value, protein, carbohydrates, sugar, fat, saturated fat, fiber, sodium) is supplied. However, their sequence is changed in the new table according to the EU  regulation: Fiber becomes optional and salt is no longer listed as sodium.


Nutritional value coding in the GDSN data model

The nutritional values of the product examples were coded following  the GS1 recommended codes and attribute applications (see the following comment on salt). They therefore represent a "best practice" use of GDSN for the nutritional information.

Yet the example of "sodium" already indicates the band width of variations when it comes to data management. The EU regulation compliant information would be "salt" (code "SALTEQ"). A conversion (salt = 2,5 * sodium) on part of the data recipient would appear to be the most pragmatic solution. The EU regulation holds responsible whoever registers or changes the product information though.

Many product data will have been registered according to the GS1 recommendations for the use of GDSN alongside the new EU regulation data. But there will also be data suppliers who will provide product data that are EU regulation compliant, but depart from the GS1 recommendation. Next to different applications of attributes, codes for single nutrition values can also vary.

Here, for example, are the possible alternatives for protein declarations:

PRO-, protein, total; method of determination unknown or variable (the GS1 recommendation for protein coding)
Possible other codes:
PROA, protein, total; determined by direct analysis
PROANI, protein from animal sources
PROCNA, protein, total; calculated from amino
PROCNP, protein, total; calculated from protein
PROCNT, protein, total; calculated from total nitrogen
PROPLA, protein from plant sources
PROTAN, protein, animal
PROTPL, protein, plant

Conclusion

The new  regulation ensures that the up to now largely voluntary nutrition information on products will become obligatory for the entire European Union. Information will be more comprehensive, uniform and more intelligible and nutrition information will be made available for stationary as well as online trading. 
Until this is achieved by the end of the transition period in 2014 though, a lot of implementation efforts are still waiting.


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