My question was does food labelling go far enough? You answered a resounding NO!

Here I will address some of your comments if I can…It has made me think and while there are many suggestions as to what can go on the label which is ok if you are buying a catering sized box…If it is a small box-like stock cubes for example…This is where the problem lies…Not everyone has 20/20 vision…

My thoughts are that stores should play their part…aisles or shelves should be colour coded and signposted depending on how healthy they are…it would mean maybe putting different products together but they do that in special offer aisles…

But it would be easy to see and we could see at a glance which of the healthier items we like instead of having to search the store…Yes, it would take organising but I think it could work…

Also have more offers on fruits and vegetables which are in season and whack the cost up of those which are not in season…Sounds fair to me …

The same with healthier foods drop the prices and increase the cost of unhealthy food…If people really don’t want to change then let them pay for it…

Sally’s comment was interesting in last weeks post…Sally also knows what she is talking about as she is a trained Nutritionist her advice is always to the point and easy to understand..no jargon…If you are not familiar with Sally’s health posts pop over and say hello and have a read…

An important post-Carol and the more I read and watch documentaries on the food industry the more evident it becomes that many, particularly some of the larger conglomerates that produce across food types, are the leading cause of the increasing levels of lifestyle-related disease across the globe. Whilst it is people’s decision to eat or not eat the product, if you are ingesting a little bit here and a little bit there across the range of foods on a daily basis there is an accumulative effect. You cannot read every label and the only safe way of avoiding the additives is to cook from scratch at every opportunity and only use industrial foods occasionally. You and I have been banging that particular drum for a long time now as have many others but you cannot beat big food and pharma… they are far too powerful. Sorry to rant…xx

Sally was correct when she said that we can’t fight the larger conglomerates BUT we can speak to them in the only language they understand …PROFIT…we can stop buying their unhealthy products…

Sally was also correct when she stated that it is our individual decision about what to eat or not…Sally was also correct when she stated that a little bit of this and a little bit of that has an accumulative effect on our health…

Sally was also correct again when she stated we cannot possibly read every label BUT we can start to cook from scratch and only use industrially produced foods occasionally.

The time has come for us to review any health problems we may have, speak to a health professional or our doctor and start eliminating any known foods which may affect our condition…Lauren did from LSS Attitude of Gratitude and Lauren said her body feels so much better for eating fresh foods and cutting out the processed foods.

Unfortunately, there are no global standards for food labelling which means as no universal standard exists then it is necessary for food manufacturers to ensure their labels meet the standards of each individual country in which they are selling their product. 

One country may require a different way for listing ingredients, another may have a different calculation of nutrition facts, and yet another may have different regulated allergens. Regulation variations between countries can range from small, simple changes, such as a different date format, to a much larger adaptation, such as translation to another language.

I like that the UK colour codes some packaging Red, Green and Amber the traffic light system…

For example:

Some front-of-pack nutrition labels use red, amber and green colour coding.

Colour-coded nutritional information tells you at a glance if the food has high, medium or low amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt:

To sell food and drink products the  label must also be:

• clear and easy to read
• permanent
• easy to understand
• easily visible
• not misleading

The EU  member states have universal labelling which has not been without its problems but as I am finding out it really not as easy as just sticking a label on a packet or box…

There is also quite a lot of controversy going on at the moment over imported meat and its labelling as the UK have strict guidelines and other countries do not on certain products.

A proposed new ruling (US) would allow poultry plants to process diseased chickens…

How did this come about? The Defense Protection act was invoked three months ago, as a means to bolster American food security, it marked the beginning of a campaign to deregulate the meat industry.

Firstly meat processing plants were pressured to remain open to ensure production continued during the Covid-19 crisis…

The result of this is that federal agencies have suspended meatpacking worker protections, lowered plant inspection standards, eased labelling rules for manufacturers and relaxed enforcement of pollution restrictions for chicken and pig farms.

Given that there are already proven links between humans and animals with regards to transmitting disease…an absolute disaster waiting to happen…

I am appalled as it seems that exports to China are on the increase..this makes sickening reading…

How is that going to be labelled…

Based on this report and the meat processing standards in the US…I hope the British Prime minister thinks hard and fast before he signs anything as the people will speak. I also hope that the US electorate will speak as these are dangerous enough times without having to cope with one more thing affecting our food supply..where will it end…?

https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-lighthizer-trump-us-will-push-off-uk-trade-deal-with-the-uk-over-food-standards-2020-6

When I started looking at labelling I truly didn’t realise the extent of the processes and how much was being withheld from the consumer…I don’t offer political views on this blog HOWEVER when it comes to food which my family could be purchasing I will air my opinion and food safety should be paramount and I cannot even begin to think that on top of chemicals in our food, excess amounts of sugar, salt and fat and now the health and hygiene standards…

No wonder diseases are passing from animals to humans…We may just well give up reading labels…I am at loss for many more words …what chance do we have?

My advice…If a label has more than 3 ingredients or you can’t read it leave it on the shelf…Really know where your food comes from…buy local…I wouldn’t touch anything imported with a barge pole…

Grow what you can or buy from a farmers market…cook from scratch wherever possible and only use industrialised foods rarely…

I apologise for the mini-rant but my families health and safety is paramount to me…I control our food here… I know they don’t grow much and although they buy good quality food and steer away from processed foods who knows what is in food which we eat when we eat out…or which we buy which gives no indication as to the source on the label as many foods don’t.

About Carol Taylor: 

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous week and stay safe these are troubling times xx