Increased transparency in breakfast product labels: the new directives of the European Parliament
What are the Breakfast Directives
The "Breakfast Directives" represent a set of rules established by the European Parliament, with the aim of regulating the field of labeling of those food products that are typically consumed for breakfast. Among these, we remember jams, honey, fruit juices, yogurt and cereals. These directives arise from an increasingly felt need for transparency towards consumers. In fact, in recent years, European citizens have shown themselves to be increasingly attentive to the quality and origin of the products they consume, so much so that they are requesting a clearer, more understandable and precise labeling method. The "Breakfast Directives" aim precisely at this: to allow every consumer to know exactly what they are eating, where every single ingredient comes from and in what percentages they are present in the finished product. All this, in addition to satisfying the citizen's right to information, helps promote a healthier diet, as it allows you to consciously choose the products that best suit your diet or nutritional needs. Going into more detail, the "Breakfast Directives" require that the precise quantity of each ingredient used be indicated, including sugar, which is often hidden behind vague or misleading terminologies. It is then required that any allergens, the country of origin of each ingredient, the storage methods and the expiry date are clearly reported. But not only that: the Directives also provide a particular focus on products such as honey and jams, for which it is required that the percentage of fruit or flower nectar present is not lower than certain standards, in order to guarantee the quality of the product. All these measures, therefore, not only make the labels of the products we consume every day clearer, but aim to encourage companies to produce quality food, using genuine raw materials of controlled origin, in line with the objective last of the "Breakfast Directives": promoting healthy, conscious and environmentally friendly eating.
Honey
The European Parliament regulation has called into question the transparency and clarity of the information on food labels, underlining the importance they have for consumers. Among the different products taken into consideration, honey plays a fundamental role, due to its artisanal nature and the delicate collection and processing process. For honey, the label must necessarily indicate the country of collection. This aspect is of fundamental importance, not only to guarantee maximum transparency to the consumer, but also because the place of origin can significantly influence the organoleptic properties of honey. The terroir, or rather the set of environmental and climatic conditions in which bees collect nectar, leaves a unique imprint on each type of honey. If the honey comes from multiple countries, the label must show them all, in descending order based on the volume of honey from each country present in the product. This means that the first country indicated will be the one from which the greatest quantity of honey was collected. This rule is very important, since it can happen that honeys from different countries are mixed together, in order to obtain a more uniform product or to increase production. Thanks to this provision, even in the case of mixtures, the consumer will have the right to know the exact origin of his honey. Finally, an exception is made for honey packages weighing less than 30 grams. In this case, for space reasons, it is possible to indicate the origin of the honey using an ISO code. The latter is an international coding system that identifies each country with a set of two or three letters. For example, the ISO code for Italy is "IT", while that for France is "FR". Also in this case, if the honey comes from multiple countries, it is necessary to indicate the respective ISO codes in decreasing order, based on the proportion of honey from each country present in the product. In conclusion, the new rules of the European Parliament regarding honey labels represent a step forward towards greater transparency in the food industry. Investing in the clarity of information is in fact essential to guarantee consumer trust and product quality.
Fruit juices
Regarding fruit juices, the new rules of the European Parliament establish important changes. First of all, one of the most significant changes concerns the indication of the country of origin of the fruit used to produce the juice. This new indication will be mandatory on all fruit juice labels sold within the European Union. The intent is to guarantee greater transparency and allow consumers to make more informed choices at the time of purchase. In fact, knowing the country of origin of the fruit means being able to evaluate quality and cultivation methods, but also the environmental impact relating to the transport of the product. It is an important step towards more responsible and sustainable consumption, which pays attention not only to the quality but also to the origin of the products. Furthermore, new terms have been introduced to specify the sugar content present in fruit juices. This is a fundamental aspect, given that drinking fruit juices is often associated with a healthy diet, however, not everyone knows that some juices contain quantities of sugar comparable to those present in carbonated drinks. The new terms will serve to distinguish fruit juices without added sugar from those with added sugar. An example of these new terms is "naturally occurring sugars", which will mean fruit juices that contain only the sugar naturally found in fruit, without any additions. On the contrary, the terms "added sugars" or "sweetened with" will take the place of the generic terms "sugar" or "glucose-fructose syrup", thus creating a minimal but significant distinction between the different products. These innovations introduced by the European Parliament for labels relating to fruit-based drinks will be applied with the aim of providing clearer and more specific information to consumers. The latter will therefore be able to make more informed and conscious choices, both from a health and environmental point of view. It's a small but important step towards a future where food transparency is the norm, not the exception.
Jams
The new European regulations pay particular attention to the transparency and quality of confectionery products, and in particular jams. One of the key points of the new rules concerns the origin of the fruit used in the production of these artisanal sweets. In fact, the new rules require that jam labels indicate the origin of the fruit used, thus ensuring greater clarity for consumers regarding the origin of the ingredients. This represents a fundamental step to ensure that consumers have the ability to make informed and conscious choices when purchasing these types of products. In addition to this new rule, the Parliament's rules also provide for an improvement in the quality of jams through an increase in the minimum percentage of fruit required for their production. This means that a greater percentage of fruit will have to be included in jam recipes, which in turn will improve the quality of the final products, making them more nutritious and natural. One of the main benefits of this decision concerns the reduction of the added sugar content in jams. In fact, with an increase in the quantity of fruit, it will be less necessary to add sugar to obtain the desired sweetness, with a consequent positive impact on consumers' health. These new regulations are an important step in the direction of more sustainable and healthy food production, which puts consumer well-being at the centre. The greater transparency regarding the origin of the ingredients and the increase in the percentage of fruit in jams will contribute to improving the quality of the products, encouraging more informed food choices and promoting a healthier diet. It could also stimulate competitiveness among producers, incentivizing them to provide high-quality jams with less added sugar. Furthermore, these new rules will also have a positive impact on those who produce the fruit used in jams, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and encouraging greater transparency in the entire production chain. This will not only benefit consumers, but will also give a positive boost to a more ethical and nature-friendly European agricultural sector. In conclusion, the main objective of the new rules of the European Parliament regarding jam labels is to promote more sustainable and healthy food production, providing consumers with more complete and transparent information on the ingredients used and the origin of the fruit. A big step forward for consumer protection and for the promotion of a more responsible food sector.
