FOPNL- Front-of-package warning labels discourage unhealthy food choices

Do you heard the latest news on FOPNL? According to the latest news, it is determined that the food safety authority is considering implementing the symbol FOPNL.

A study has been done by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition on the potential use and acceptability of front-of-pack nutrition labels. It is used to promote informed food choices that suggest ‘warning labels’ to deter the choice and consumption the unhealthy foods.

It also displayed the ‘summary ratings’ that helps to find the healthy variants among all type of available foods.

Summary labels and warning labels

• Summary labels give a concise and brief of the product’s key benefits and features, that include the positive and negative nutrients.
• A detailed overview of features and benefits of product, consists the negative and positive nutrients.
• On the other hand, the warning labels give information on potential hazards that are associated with the product and consider nutrients into concerns matter like fats, sugar, and salt.
• FOPNL, Front-of-package labeling is used as the important tool in terms of public health communication for healthy environment.
• FOPNL different formats are used in several countries, either by mandatory or voluntary implementation

Why the food authority considered the FOPNL symbol implementation

The food safety and standards authority of India is considering implementing the symbol-based FOPNL. Context-specific evidence on FOPNL effectiveness is required to inform the regulatory and advocacy process in India.

The decision regarding FOPNL used in the country depends on local research, along with global and regional evidence, and in every consideration of the country, objectives to develop the FOPNL policy.

Research for the FOPNL formats

According to the background information, the current study researched the reliability and customer acceptability, cognitive workload, information, and intention to buy FOPNL formats, named as the multiple traffic lights, Nutri score, nutria star ratings, health star ratings, warning labels, etc.

FOPNL ratings

The HSR ( health star ratings) and NS ( Nutri star) are formats of FOPNL that are currently in vogue in Australia and Europe. The FOPNL ratings( color coding from orange for average health, green for top healthy, and red for not healthy) depend on both negative and positive nutrients.

The study with the experimental design was conducted among the 3231 candidates from the five areas of India- north, west, east, south, and northeast. From the current study, it is determined that the percentages of reading nutrients information are less. In those checks, the non-vegetarian and vegetarian quality symbols were higher.

It set the aim to processed the pre packaged foods that has the good uptake for Indian population, because it is symbol based.

Conclusion

This post will tell you about the warning labels and summary labels. The study on FOPNL formats is used in different variants of the same packaging of food. Different food is not used to indicate the different labels.

However, the responses only depend on FOPNL understanding, without perception about the product’s healthier level.