Labels 101: Decoding Food Packaging

Most people find reading food labels confusing—especially when it comes to the ingredients list and nutritional panel. I’m always surprised by this, but then I remember how second nature it is to me. So, let’s break it down!

What’s Legally Required on a Food Label?

By law, a food label must include:

1. The product name and/or a short description
2. Allergen statement
3. The weight of the contents
4. Nutritional panel (NIP)
5. Country of origin
6. An Australian return address
7. Ingredients list
8. Used by or best before date
9. Identification or lot number
10. The business name

Product Name & Description

The product name is straightforward, but regulations determine what terms can be used based on ingredients. Ever noticed some products use “crisp” instead of “chips” or “frozen dessert” instead of “ice cream”? That’s because these terms are regulated. To be called ice cream, for example, a product must contain a minimum amount of milk. If it doesn’t meet that standard, companies get creative—often a red flag that the ingredients are questionable.

The description is also where claims like “Gluten-Free” are stated. In Australia, for a product to be labelled gluten-free, it must contain less than 0 ppm (parts per million) of gluten. However, just because something isn’t labelled gluten-free doesn’t mean it contains gluten—some companies simply don’t market naturally gluten-free foods that way.

Some brands assume consumers already know which foods are naturally gluten-free and don’t bother labelling them. However, with the increasing complexity of food processing and hidden ingredients, it’s not always easy to tell. Even those familiar with gluten-containing foods can struggle to determine whether a product is truly safe.

Keto & Labelling Misconceptions

In a perfect world, if something says it’s keto, I would assume it’s also gluten-free. Why? Because keto excludes grains, starches, sugar, legumes, and seed oils. But we don’t live in a perfect world, and unfortunately, “keto” isn’t a regulated term like “gluten-free.”

Many people following strict keto for medical reasons buy products labelled “keto” and wonder why they still experience inflammation, arthritis flare-ups, or skin conditions like psoriasis. That’s because many so-called keto products contain hidden non-keto ingredients. Without strict regulations, it falls on us to scrutinize the labels. I always feel bad for someone coming to me, so proud of their choices, wondering why they don’t feel as good—only to realize the “keto” product they trusted wasn’t truly keto.

Ingredients List & Allergen Statements

The allergen statement highlights major allergens the product contains (e.g., “Contains: Gluten, Egg”) and those it may contain due to cross-contamination (e.g., “May contain: Sesame seeds”). These statements must be in bold.

In the ingredients list, allergens must also be bolded and bracketed (e.g., “Cream (Milk)”). Ingredients are listed in order of quantity—highest first, lowest last. However, ingredients making up less than 5% of the final product don’t always have to be listed if they don’t serve a functional purpose. This loophole allows companies to leave out strong chemicals that are “safe for consumption” but still impact the product.

For example, calcium propionate, a mould inhibitor, is typically present at 0.1–0.4%. It prevents mould growth and increases shelf life, but because it’s used in such small amounts, it’s often not listed. Interestingly, this preservative is also in pet food, which is why dog poop doesn’t break down naturally—it contains the same mould inhibitors we consume. The same thing happens with your own poo if you eat lots of packaged foods. And I’m not even going to say “don’t try this at home!” Tell someone who eats a decent amount of packaged foods to shit on their lawn and see what happens! I bet they wont, so you might have to trust me on this one!

Nutritional Panels: What Matters?

The nutrition panel has two columns:

• Per Serve: Defined by the manufacturer (often misleading)
• Per 100g: A standardized comparison for all products

We, the food manufacturers, determine the serving size. This doesn’t have to be realistic—it’s often manipulated to make the product appear healthier. A “low-calorie” snack may boast “Only 2 calories per serve!” but if the serving size is tiny, the actual calorie count for a normal portion is much higher.

This is why you should always ignore the “Per Serve” column and focus on Per 100g. It allows you to compare products accurately. For example:

• If a product has 1g of sugar per 100g, that means it contains 1% sugar.
• If you consume 200g, you’re actually eating 2g of sugar.

Milk & Keto: A Common Misconception

People often say milk isn’t keto and you should switch to almond milk. I used to believe this too, but now I avoid most alternative milks due to their heavy processing and added ingredients like seed oils.

Whole milk contains 3.6g of sugar per 100g (or 3.6%). Whether this is too much depends on your individual goals. If you drink multiple lattes a day, you could be consuming 20g of sugar just from milk. However, if you only add a splash to a long black, it’s negligible. If I need a higher milk content, I opt for cream or watered-down cream.

Checking for Hidden Carbs in “Keto” Products

Sometimes, a product’s nutritional panel looks keto-friendly, but when you check the ingredients, the first one is wheat or another starch. If you’ve read my deep dives on starches, you know this is a big no-no for keto!

The key is to check both the nutritional panel and the ingredients list to confirm a product aligns with your goals. If you’re strict keto, scrutinizing both is essential.

Weight: Understanding Variations

The weight listed on a package isn’t always the exact weight you’ll get. Some products display the “g” (actual weight), meaning that every single package must contain at least that much. Others use the “e” (estimated weight) symbol, which means the weight is an average across multiple packages.

Ever seen those viral videos where someone weighs their “500g” pack of mince, only to find it’s actually 350g? While that seems outrageous, if the product is labelled with an e, the company is covered as long as their batches average out correctly. Some packs may be slightly under, some slightly over. But if it’s consistently short, that’s a problem.

Used By vs. Best Before—What’s the Difference?

• Used By: The product cannot be consumed after this date.
• Best Before: It’s at optimal quality before this date, but the taste or texture may deteriorate after.

Everything legally requires a batch number and either a best before or used by date, even things that never expire—like salt.

We’ve all seen that meme: “Salt, created by nature over thousands of years… with a best before next month.” 😂 That’s because it legally needs a best before date, even if the product itself won’t actually go bad.

I also categorize people into two groups: the daredevils and… my husband. 😂 Some people follow used by and best before dates to the letter, while others go by the sniff test. Still good? Yep, a week later! That’s me. When you become this person, you start to realize just how much food the “my husbands” of the world throw in the bin.

Final Thoughts

Food labels can be overwhelming, but understanding them gives you control over what you’re consuming. Ingredients lists and nutritional panels together reveal the true nature of a product. While I may be obsessive about it (because I make food for people who must be strict keto), you can decide how much scrutiny you want to apply.

The next time you pick up a product, take a second look—what’s really inside might surprise you!