Type Size on Packaging Labels Reveals the Secrets of Food and Health Supplements

[ppzhan Abstract] As a traditional Chinese festival, the Spring Festival always brings rapid development of the food market. This shows, on the one hand, people's demand for food, while on the other hand it also provides convenience for unscrupulous merchants, because counterfeit and shoddy products are especially rampant at this time. However, if consumers clearly recognize the approval-number characters on the packaging labels, they can fully protect their own rights and interests from harm.

The labeling content on packaging is bewilderingly varied and dizzying to the eye, making it very difficult for ordinary consumers to distinguish genuine from fake and good from inferior. In order to make it easier to grasp the methods for distinguishing food from health products and to avoid buying substandard goods, the Development Zone Administration for Industry and Commerce reminds consumers that when buying food and health products they can look at the 'approval number' to cleverly distinguish 'food' from 'health products'.

The approval document numbers of national or local statutory bodies fall into three types: 'Shi Zi' (food), 'Shi Jian Zi' (health food) and 'Yao Jian Zi' (medicinal health product).

'Shi Zi' products: generally foods containing nutritional ingredients or foods containing new resources. Food approval numbers examined and approved by local health departments are, for example, 'Lu Shi Jian Zi', 'Su Shi Jian Zi' and so on, such as Cordyceps essence active nutrient liquid (Wei Xin Shi Shi Zi (96) No. 68). 'Shi Zi' products may not advertise efficacy; the Cordyceps essence active nutrient liquid may introduce the uses and functions of the new-resource food cordyceps.

'Shi Jian Zi' products: according to the state's 'Measures for the Administration of Health Foods', foods with specific health functions are called 'health foods' and must be examined and approved by the Ministry of Health, with approval numbers of the form 'Wei Shi Jian Zi'. 'Shi Jian Zi' products may advertise the relevant content of the health functions approved by the Ministry of Health.

'Yao Jian Zi' products: medicines with specific health-nutrition functions are called 'health-care products'. They are strictly examined and approved by the administrative departments of health, with approval numbers such as 'Lu Wei Yao Jian Zi' and 'Chuan Wei Yao Jian Zi'. 'Yao Jian Zi' products may advertise the content relating to the functions and uses set out in the instructions approved by the local administrative departments of health.

Of the above three cases, only 'Shi Zi' products can be recognized as food, and the industry and commerce departments have the right to supervise them in accordance with their functions; the other two categories do not fall under the supervision of the industry and commerce departments. If consumers find or buy food with problems, they may lodge a complaint with the consumers' association. For false advertising of food and health products, the industry and commerce departments may impose penalties in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.

—This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361969.html