updated Swedish food labels

Deborah,

Thanks for your message about "carbon dioxide emission labelling" in Sweden.

Yesterday, I interviewed the communication manager of a conglomerate which 'produces and sells natural ingredients and foodstuffs for the international food industry, foodservice channel (restaurants, caterers and wholesalers) and retail outlets.' Basically, they make things like sugar, starch, inulin, bioethanol and all sorts of bakery ingredients.

This company is increasingly asked to supply an 'ingredient passport' that tells exactly where an ingredient comes from (harvest dates, furtilizers used, ...), how the ingredient is extracted, transported, and mixed .... Only some of this information must be mentioned on the label for consumers. However, a manufacturer of food needs to be able to trace the history of each ingredient back to its source. 

This whole 'information chain' is in development at the moment and it is likely that there will be European/US regulations related to this. I hope that there will be difference between 'must appear on the package' and 'you can find more information on the following website: ...'. A small but complex sweet like 'mentos' or a chewing gum might need to be accompanied by a substantial book to replace the current labelling information on the wrapper. 

If the Swedes believe in 'printed labels' - in stead of digital access to information - than I estimate that in a few years time about half the floorspace of supermarkets will look like a library and is filled with 'ingredient passports and nutrional labelling'. 

Kind regards,
Karel.
[email protected]

>>>

On 13 Apr 2010, at 05:43, Deborah Taylor-Pearce wrote:

Café,

A *brief* description in the Spring 2010 issue of the Heifer 
organization's _World Ark_ publication (p. 7) -- for which, try

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/heifer/worldark_2010spring/#/8

or if that direct link doesn't work, follow the links from Heifer's 
Web page at

http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.201480/

-- notes that the Swedish government is in the process of "rolling 
out" new food & nutrition labels "that give equal weight to human and 
climate health."

In addition to counting fat & calories, the new Swedish labels 
apparently list the CO2 emissions associated with a food's processing. 
(And I thought counting calories accurately was a challenge! ;-)

Has anyone seen the new design?

I gather from the Heifer magazine mention that the new Swedish labels 
are already turning up on some food packages, in addition to appearing 
on some restaurant menus.


... Nothing yet, though, on my package of whole-grain Krisprolls 
("From Sweden with Love!"), which already sports 2 different nutrition 
labels.

For those who are curious, I've temporarily posted a facsimile of the 
label on the front of the Krisprolls bag at:

http://www.she-philosopher.com/home/temp/Krisprolls_label-front.jpg

and a facsimile of the label on the bottom of the bag at:

http://www.she-philosopher.com/home/temp/Krisprolls_label-bottom.jpg
(NOTE: this U.S.-style label on the bottom of the bag appears to have 
been pasted over yet another label, printed with the packaging)


I think Krisprolls are indeed "a wholesome delight," as advertised on 
the front of the package.

But shipping them to Southern California has got to add substantially 
to the food's carbon footprint ... and I wonder if that little factoid 
will be recorded on the new label, or included in the calculation of 
impact on climate health....

Deborah

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