Obscuring the sugar information of foods

Many hidden sweets in food

23/07/2013

Many manufacturers trick according to the Consumer Federation Federation (vzbv) in the sugar data. „The information on sugar and sweeteners on product packaging often confuses consumers more than informs them“, so the criticism of the vzbv. The current requirements for the declaration of sugar in foodstuffs would allow manufacturers to disguise and obscure the actual level of sugar in their products.

„Stop the hide-and-seek game in the list of ingredients. If sugars or sweeteners are included, this must be clear and understandable on the packaging“, Thus the demand of Gerd Billen, executive committee of the vzbv. A nationwide market survey of consumer centers revealed that out of a total of 276 tested products, almost all contained sugar, „including those in which consumers do not count on sweetening ingredients - such as sauce binder and meat salad“, reports the vzbv. Confusion also leads to the different names of sweeteners used. The vzbv detected „70 other names for sweetening and sugar-contributing ingredients besides sugar.“ A change in legislation and greater control by food control is urgently needed, according to consumer protection.

Total sugar content of food not transparent
„For consumers, the use of different sweeteners and the total sugar content is often not transparent“, Since the various laws and regulations contain different definitions for sugar and offer manufacturers a lot of room for information on the sugar and sweetener content of food, the vzbv criticizes. Many substances with extremely high sugar content such as glucose syrup or sweet whey powder would not be listed as sugar in the list of ingredients. The variety of sweeteners used sugar is displaced from the top position of the list of ingredients and the consumer seems at first glance the sugar content lower. Here, there is an urgent need for a uniform definition in the legislative texts so that consumers can assess the true sugar content. For example, while the Nutrition Tables use a broader definition of sugar, such tables are not yet mandatory.

Introduction of a nutritional value required
In view of the existing weaknesses, the list of ingredients does not provide sufficient information on the sugar content of foods from the perspective of the vzbv. The consumer advocates are in favor of introducing a nutrient traffic light that shows at a glance using the colors red, yellow and green, how much sugar, fat, saturated fat and salt are contained in food. Gerd Billen explained that nutrition information is needed as soon as possible , „which are binding on manufacturers and understandable to consumers. The nutritional light can do that.“ Ideally, this should be implemented before the introduction of the legally required nutritional value tables from 2016 onwards. In addition, the food control urgently needed the products „reinforced by misleading nutrition claims“ examine and punish violations consistently.

Obscuring the sugar content of many foods
As an example of the concealment of the sugar content is in the report of the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbandes a bar with the sales name „Stuffed waffle (36.3 percent) and cereals (9.9 percent) covered with milk chocolate (36.8 percent)“ cited. This would contain 45.4 grams of sugar, but because other sweetening ingredients or ingredients that contribute to the sugar content like „Glucose-fructose syrup, glucose syrup, caramelized sugar, maltodextrin, lactose, whey product, sweet whey powder, whole milk powder and skimmed milk powder“ were contained, the sugar in the list of ingredients was found only in the lower midfield. Eleven ingredients contributing to the sugar content were identified by the consumer advocates in the bar, with „For consumers, only four of the sweetening ingredients are recognizable as sugary“ be, reports the vzbv. (Fp)