Core Tip: In recent years, with the continuous emergence of food safety emergencies, people's attention to food labels has been increasing. Consumers frequently complain about errors in food label information, which has also drawn national attention to food labels and labeling. A series of related laws and policies have been introduced to regulate packaged food labels. At the same time, the development of food labels is also moving towards diversification.

With the continuous improvement of consumer safety awareness, the demand for the amount of information carried on food labels is also increasing. In recent years, with the continuous emergence of food safety emergencies, people's attention to food labels has been increasing. Consumers frequently complain about errors in food label information, which has also drawn national attention to food labels and labeling. A series of related laws and policies have been introduced to regulate packaged food labels. At the same time, the development of food labels is also moving towards diversification.

Standardization, standardization

It is reported that since October 19, the mandatory national standard "GB 4806.1-2016 General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials" has been officially implemented. The author learned that disposable packaging products that come into direct contact with food must be labeled with: "Food Contact" or "Food Packaging" marks. In addition, labels must include "name, material, manufacturer, address, contact information, production date, implementation standards, usage instructions," etc. At the same time, the label cannot be separated from its minimum sales packaging. Products with special usage requirements should indicate usage methods, precautions, purposes, usage environment, usage temperature, and so on. The author believes that the implementation of this policy will not only further refine food contact materials but also provide a basis for food label marking.

In addition, milk powder labels are becoming increasingly strict. It is understood that the National Food and Drug Administration has issued the "Technical Guidelines for Registration and Labeling of Infant Formula Milk Powder Products (Trial)," which strictly regulates product name requirements, label format requirements, prohibited label content, and optional label content such as milk powder label content and functions. The author learned that content claims and function claims must strictly follow national food safety standards. Enterprises that label content claims or function claims beyond the current national food safety standards must obtain approval from the State Council health administrative department before labeling. The rights claims of label samples should be text-marked on non-primary display pages.

Digitization, intelligence

With the continuous development of information technology, food labels are becoming increasingly digital and intelligent. Traditional printing can no longer meet the needs of personalized printing and variable data printing, so the market demand for digital printing is becoming more apparent. Some printing companies have already started producing fully intelligent packaging labels. For example, Hebei Xindong Printing has introduced high-end production equipment such as flexographic printing and anti-counterfeiting products, continuously developing various anti-counterfeiting technologies to add anti-counterfeiting functions to exquisite food packaging, achieving a perfect combination of aesthetics and practicality, fashion and high technology, and gradually realizing the strategic goal of exporting high-quality packaging products overseas.

In fact, the intelligence of food packaging is mainly reflected in labels. Barcodes, QR codes, and other common smart label applications are frequently seen in daily life. The author learned that a Finnish company has released a "smart" bottle label for a premium Kareval gin using Thinfilm NFC SpeedTap. Each SpeedTap label is unique and nearly impossible to clone. Through NFC technology, it can be read by smartphones or devices, which will greatly promote consumer loyalty and brand promotion.

Smart labels can not only enable interaction between consumers and products but also identify food quality. It is understood that the Japanese design studio TO-GENKYO invented a smart label with a special coating. This label changes color based on ammonia concentration, which can identify the freshness of food.

Green, environmentally friendly

With the continuous promotion of energy-saving and environmental protection concepts, various fields are actively responding, and the food label field is no exception. The author learned that the green and environmentally friendly aspect of labels is mainly reflected in the label materials. Singapore has launched a series of green and environmentally friendly labels. Compared with other materials, these new labels are more economical and more suitable for sustainable development. With continuous technological progress and the concept of energy saving and environmental protection, under the influence of these dual factors, food labels will develop towards green and environmentally friendly directions.

Therefore, the author believes that with the continuous enhancement of consumers' health and safety awareness, people will pay more attention to label information. Food processing enterprises and food packaging enterprises should grasp the development trend of food labels and focus on improving labels. At the same time, the packaging machinery manufacturing industry should also pay attention to the development trend of the food label industry and keep pace with the times to avoid losing the direction of development.