Abstract
Our current food hygiene law mandates nutrition label (NL) for the special nutrition foods, health support foods, instant foods, and foods with certain nutrient emphasized note, only. Currently more processed foods are bearing nutrition labels though the format is quite inconsistant. This study examined the status on current nutrition labeling practices for the processed foods that are retailed in the supermarket. The obtained information was assessed in the aspects of numerical data presentation on nutrients content, descriptive terms, health claim, and the format. The results are summarized as follows. 1) Foods with NL are limited to the food category specified by current hygiene law while voluntary nutition labeling is few. 2) Descriptive terms such as free, low, and sufficient are not substantiated with quantitative data. The efficacy of microelements which has not been clalified yet are overemphasized but major nutrients are ignored. 3) The regulations for the descriptive terms are set on the base of the nutrient content per 100g or 100ml under current nutrition labeling act. It would mislead consumers thus the definition for these descriptor be better set on the unit of the amount of food customary eaten at one time. For this the standard serving size should be set officially. 4) Quantitative nutrition information given on food products is difficult to compare because of the lack in formality. The title of NL, load and kinds of nutritents, order of nutrients listed, the unit of expression, RDA comparision, and reference RDA are inconsistant among the foods similar in dietary property. Uniform format is needed to give NL the credibility and usefulness. Proividing nutrition information to the consumers with NL is a worldwide practice though its efficacy has been controversial. Under newly legistered health promotion law in Korean nutrition education is esxpected to take part in to improve national nutrition condition and NL would education is expected to take part in to improve national nutrition condition and NL would be a potent tool for public nutritions education. It appears to be the time to mandate NL to all the processed foods in the market. The result of present study would initiate further consumer experiments related to NL. Various interest groups such as food and nutrition professions, public health organizations, government regulatory agencies, food producers and marketers, and consumer groups need to particepate and communicate for the legislation of NL and the development of NL format.