Food Packaging, Labelling, and Dietary Guidelines
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Food Packaging, Labelling, and Dietary Guidelines
Part A
Food packaging prevents the contamination of food, allows for the easy transportation of the food, and extends the shelf life of the food. The foods standards Australian New Zealand is a government agency that assesses whether there are any inherent risks from packaging foods and if any chemicals migrate into the food. In Australia, FSANZ ensures that all the manufacturers ensure that the food that comes in contact with the packaging remains safe throughout the transportation ("Ingredient lists and percentage labelling", 2018). Ideally, food packaging maintains the benefits of food processing after the process is complete and this enables ease in the transportation of food for long distances from the point of manufacture until its consumption. However, the manufacturer must consider other prevailing factors such as energy, the cost of the materials, and pollution before packing the food.
In considering product safety, the food package in the 74g Tuna Pouch Springwater package that is made from cardboard box must; first ensure the appropriate protection for the food product against environmental factors. Second, it should not interact with food as such maintaining product quality. Third, it must create an internal environment for the food that prevents contamination (Albu, 2018). Lastly, the food package must represent a means of information for the type of food contained in the package for the consumers. In this particular case, the cardboard offers safety for the food as it is thicker than paper with a higher weight per unit area (Albu, 2018). Such features lead to a better barrier. On the other hand, the cardboard package can affect the quality of food as chemicals from a recycled cardboard can end up contaminating the food. For example, if the original paper was loaded with inks, adhesives, or other substances, then this can be passed to the recycled material. Indeed, cardboard boxes have also been shown to affect the product quality because of the high temperatures inside the box which can enhance mass transfer of oxygen, water, and carbon dioxide ("Researchers Say", 2007).
In the second case with the 185g Fished Tuna which is packaged in a tin can lid, the packaging offers a resistant form of food storage and thereby guaranteeing product safety. The inherent qualities in tins make it an excellent mode of packaging as it offers an excellent barrier against water, oxygen, and light and this ensures product quality. The tin also preserves the contents of the food product naturally without the need for preservatives (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). Lastly, the tin packages ensures the integrity of the product throughout their shelf life. Indeed, of the two packages, the tin package offers a safe and a naturally occurring environment which prevents the food from accessing water and air throughout its shelf life. Unlike the cardboard package that can affect the product quality because of the varying internal environment and the nature of materials used to make the cardboard, the tin package lacks any contaminants (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). In the case of the Tuna, there is a high chance that it can become exposed to volatile chemicals in the cardboard box and this can lead to contamination.
Part B
The purposes of mandatory standards are to ensure that food manufacturers maintain specific safety and information features on the products. Under the Australian laws, it is an offense to supply goods which do not comply with the standards put in place by the respective agencies. According to FSANZ, all food packages must have food labels which should provide a wide range of information to assist consumer make good choices ("Ingredient lists and percentage labelling", 2018). The labels also help to protect public safety as they display information with information such as sell-by date, the ingredients, specific allergens, and any advisory or warning statements.
In our particular case, the food package has taken into consideration all the standards as put in place by FSANZ in terms of labeling. First, the food standards require that the product names identify all products. In this case, the food package has identified the type of fish in the package as per the food standards codes. Further, the food standards codes also require businesses to put labels on nutrition content claims and health claims. Whereas this is a voluntary action, this standards set out the rules for all those businesses which choose to make nutrition content claims and health claims. In our case example, the manufacturer has labeled the tuna as a good source of omega 3 and protein. Further, in the 74g package, the manufacturer claims that the fished tuna consists of 17g of protein for every serving ("Safcol 74g", 2018).
In the 185g tin package, the manufacturer has also indicated the energy composition, the protein composition, the carbs, sugar, and sodium composition per every 100g ("Safcol 185g", 2018). Such labeling is in line with FSANZ standards which require the listing of the ingredients in descending order. That means that during the product manufacturing the first ingredient on the list contributed the largest in nutritional value while the last contributed the least. The packages also carry some forms of marketing, for example in oil- Italian Style which adds to the appeal of the package.
References
Albu, A. (2018). The Study of the Influence of the Cardboard Package on the Quality of the Food Product. Case Study – Pizza Packed In Cardboard Box. Retrieved from http://www.seap.usv.ro/annals/ojs/index.php/annals/article/viewFile/366/376
Chemicals from Recycled Cardboard May Contaminate Take-out Food, Researchers Say. (2007). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071128113022.htm
Ingredient lists and percentage labelling. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/ingredients/Pages/default.aspx
Marsh, K., & Bugusu, B. (2007). Food Packaging?Roles, Materials, and Environmental Issues. Journal of Food Science, 72(3), R39-R55. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00301.x
Safcol Responsibly Fished Tuna in oil Italian Style 185g. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.safcol.com.au/products/safcol-responsibly-fished-tuna-in-oil-italian-style-185g/
Safcol Responsibly Fished Tuna Pouch Springwater 74g. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.safcol.com.au/products/safcol-responsibly-fished-tuna-pouch-springwater-74g/#