Simply put, “prepackaged food” refers to foods sold by merchants that have a fixed package and are fixed in size and weight. They do not include “ready to eat” food and beverage, as well as foods without fixed packaging.
 
For the pre-packaged food in the supermarket, will it be dazzling and overwhelmed? In fact, as long as you look at its labels, you can be a smart shopper. “Prepackaged food label” means the text, graphics, symbols and all instructions on the food packaging, including mandatory labeling such as food name, ingredient list, net content and specifications, name of producer and/or distributor , address and contact information, production date, shelf life, storage conditions, food production license number, product standard code, etc.; there are also recommended content, such as eating methods, sensitizing substances. In order to regulate food labels and help consumers to better purchase food, China has issued the "General Rules for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods" (GB 7718-2011). Although there are many food labeling projects, the following are important for consumers. Aspects.

First, look at the food category
 
The name of the food must be a nationally licensed normative name that reflects the nature of the food. If the food name is “innovative” by the company itself, use the same color and font, and mark the name of the specification next to it.
 
For example, if you see the name of a product called “** Fruit Drink”, the bottle is painted with beautiful fruit. Is this product a juice or a drink? If its "product category" says "juice," it means that, except for the juice squeezed from the fruit, there is no added water. If it is a “juice drink”, it means that it is a beverage made by adding a small amount of juice to a large amount of water, plus sugar and other food additives.
 
In short, no matter how fancy the product name is, attract attention, you can understand the truth by looking at the food category.
 
Second, look at the ingredients list
 
According to the regulations, the raw materials with the largest amount of products should be ranked first, and the least raw materials should be ranked last.
 
For example, in front of the bottle of "** fruit drink", what is added inside? If the first place in the ingredient list is "pure water" and the second place is "apple juice", it means that the most added to this product is water. The more ingredients you don't know in the ingredient list, the farther it is from the natural state. Beverage products usually indicate the words “original juice content ≥10%” or “milk content ≥30%”. This is to tell you how much of it comes from natural raw materials, and other parts are water, sugar, food additives. Even blended.
 
Third, look at food additives
 
According to national standards, all food additives used in food must be indicated in the ingredient list, even if the consumer does not know it – usually we will see the words “food additive:” or “food additive ()”. The content after the colon or in the brackets is the specific food additive.
 
According to the regulations, food additives cannot simply use vague names such as “pigment” or “sweetener”, but must indicate their specific names. Consumers can see some names that they can't understand on weekdays after the word “food additive” in the ingredient list, such as “lemon yellow” and “carmine”. These colors must be pigments; “aspartame ", "Sweet", etc., these sweetness-related must be sweeteners ... look much, and slowly become familiar with commonly used food additives.
 
As for which food additives can be used, what foods can be used, and the maximum amount of addition is specified in the National Food Safety Standards for Food Additives (GB 2760-2014). It is not possible to add a variety that has not been approved by China, and it cannot be added outside the scope of the prescribed food, and it cannot be used excessively. Therefore, consumers do not have to fear because food contains food additives.

Fourth, look at the product weight, net content or solid content
 
Some products may look cheap, but if calculated according to the net content, it is likely to be more expensive than other similar products.
 
For example, the price of two types of bread may make you feel like your heart and volume. But the net content of one product is written in 120 grams, and the other is written in 160 grams. In fact, the former may be more fluffy after fermentation, but from the total amount of nutrients, it is clear that the latter is more cost-effective.
 
Fifth, look at the date of production, shelf life and storage conditions
 
Shelf life is the quality that can be guaranteed when the product leaves the factory. During this period, the product is fully suitable for sale and maintains the unique qualities that are not required or stated in the label. The quality of the expired has decreased, but it is likely to be safe to eat. The shelf life or the final consumption period indicates that the safety of the food cannot be guaranteed after this date.
 
During the warranty period, the product closest to the date of manufacture should be selected. Although not expired means that the food is still safe and has a normal taste, but after all, the nutrients will be reduced to varying degrees over time. For example, the shelf life of a certain yoghurt is 21 days, but in fact, even under refrigeration, the number of lactic acid bacteria in the lactic acid bacteria will gradually decrease. Therefore, in order to get the health benefits, it is best to choose the yogurt that is closest to the date of manufacture.
 
At the same time, the food label will also indicate the storage conditions of the product, such as "-18 ° C freezing", "0-6 ° C refrigeration", "storing in the dark, cool, dry place" and so on. For example, a bottle of milk, or a package of soy products, the package is marked to be stored at 2-6 ° C for 30 days, but the consumer will store it at room temperature, the result is likely to deteriorate within 3 days. Therefore, we must pay attention to the description of the storage conditions on the food packaging.

Six, look at the certification mark and origin information
 
Many food packaging has various quality certification marks, such as QS logo, ISO certification mark, organic food mark, green food mark, pollution-free food mark, and country of origin mark.
 
The QS mark is a market access mark for food, and food without it cannot be sold in supermarkets. The ISO certification mark indicates that the company has strong control and management capabilities for the production process, which is conducive to the prevention of production accidents and the occurrence of substandard products, but has no relationship with nutritional value. Organic, green and pollution-free signs represent that the quality of the products meets relevant standards. Although the control of residues in agricultural and veterinary drugs may be more stringent, it does not mean that the nutritional value of the products is higher. The origin mark indicates that the product is from a certain place of origin and can meet the quality of the well-known agricultural products produced in this place.
 
Consumers can check the graphics and specific meaning of various certification marks online. In general, if the other indicators are the same, the certified product can be preferred.
 
Seven other label information that can be concerned
 
The food label also contains the product's implementation standard number, food instructions, product origin, food allergen information, address and contact information of the manufacturer and distributor.
 
The quality of the environment may vary depending on the place of production, and the safety of the food and the quality of the product may be affected. For example, peanuts produced in humid and hot areas are often higher in aflatoxin content than peanuts produced in cold and dry areas because higher temperatures and humidity favor mold growth.
 
The quality of the products varies greatly depending on the implementation of the standard number. The content of the relevant standards can be found on the website of the National Health and Health Commission or the State Administration of Markets.
 
The edible instructions for the product are non-mandatory items and are worthy of a closer look. For example, the package says that a small packet of stewed chicken seasoning is used for the seasoning of 5 kg of chicken. If the consumer does not read it carefully, pour it all into a pot that only cooks a chicken... the taste of the soup can be I want to know.
 
Food allergens are also non-mandatory information. For a small number of allergic patients, such as eating foods containing allergic ingredients, may cause severe allergic reactions and even life-threatening. China recommends that manufacturers mark substances that may cause allergic reactions, such as peanuts, nuts, soybeans, milk, eggs, crustaceans, fish, and gluten (gluten).
 

A closer look at the above information not only avoids buying the wrong product, but also preliminarily judges the content characteristics and quality of the product to avoid being fooled by advertising and marketing. I hope that every consumer will become an expert in purchasing food.

(Source: China Market Supervision Micro Signal)