GHP - Section 8: product information and consumer awareness
14/04/2023
This guidance document provides detailed information on how product labelling and consumer education can help reduce incidences of foodborne disease related to food mislabeling or mishandling.
Product information, including allergen information, should be available on all food products to help the next operator in the chain of food businesses or the consumer to handle, prepare, display, store and/or use the product safely and correctly.
Food safety along the food business chain is ensured when the consumer has enough information to understand the product and to handle the food safely, as instructed. Educating consumers about the types of information on food product labels allows them to make informed choices and makes them aware of the need to follow product instructions to ensure that they prepare the food safely.
Consult the guidance document on product information and consumer awareness for guidance on:
- using lot or batch identification strategies to help with stock rotation and food recalls; and
- using product information and product labels to ensuring proper handling and keep food safe, and how information and labels allow consumers to make informed choices.
Further Readings
The selected links refer to online sources relevant to the Section on Product information and consumer awareness of the FAO GHP and HACCP Toolbox for Food Safety. The chosen links provide valuable online information to gain more in-depth topical knowledge.
(If any of the following links are broken, please notify [email protected])
- FAO. 2024. Good packaging practices for micro, small and medium-sized food processing enterprises in the Caribbean Community and Common Market. Rome.
- FAO & WHO. 2006. The Principles for Traceability/Product Tracing as a Tool Within a Food Inspection and Certification System (CAC 60-2006)
- FAO & WHO. 2018. General Standards for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CXS 1- 1985)
- FAO and WHO. 2023. Food Safety and Quality – Food Allergens
- FAO & WHO. 2023. Nutrition and Labelling
- FAO. 1993. Consumer participation in food control
- FAO. 2017. Food Traceability Guidance
- WHO. 2006. Five keys to safer food manual
Contact
[email protected]