Are Imported Food Labels Full of Traps?

While shopping in the supermarket on the weekend, Mr. Zhang was attracted by a beautifully packaged imported chocolate. However, after searching through the packaging, he only found a bunch of foreign - language labels that he couldn't understand. Does this scenario seem familiar? Imported food labels are like an encrypted instruction manual. Today, let's decipher its "Morse code".

According to China's national food safety standard - General Standard for the Labelling of Pre - packaged Foods, regular imported foods must include:

• Chinese back label: A label affixed to cover the original foreign - language label
• Inspection and Quarantine Certificate for Entry Goods: You can ask the merchant to present it
• Information on the country of origin and the agent: It needs to be specified to the provincial - level administrative region

Ms. Li recently discovered that a certain country's biscuits that her child loves to eat are labeled as "no trans - fatty acids", but "hydrogenated vegetable oil" appears in the ingredient list. This situation is a typical case of:

• Nutrition claim trap: It needs to be verified against the nutrition facts table
• Difference in date marking: Japan's "best - before date"≠shelf - life
• Allergen warning: The EU requires 14 types of allergenic substances to be labeled

Experts from Zhongshitong Import and Export Inspection suggest:

• Scan the CIQ code: The exclusive mark for China's quarantine approval
• Check the "identity card": The country of origin should be consistent with the customs declaration form
• Beware of "fake imports": Check the first three digits of the barcode (690 - 695 are for China)

The cross - border e - commerce complaint data in 2023 shows that label problems account for 42% of quality disputes. Next time you make a purchase, spend an extra 30 seconds: Check whether the additives exceed China's standards and compare the consistency of Chinese and foreign - language labels. This may help you avoid the "import trap".

Have you ever returned a product due to label problems? Welcome to share your "pit - avoidance guide" in the comment section. After all, a consumer who can read labels is a smart gourmet.