Deciphering Food Labels

(Kansan.com) - Shoppers in Lawrence now have an additional option when they look for organic and local foods. Natural Grocers, a Colorado-based grocery chain, opened its first Kansas location in Lawrence Nov. 11.

But as more Lawrence stores market themselves under the natural and local food labels, student must do their homework in figuring out what the terms mean.

Marty Glenn, a clinical dietitian and professor in advanced nutrition, said food companies often used buzzwords, such as “natural” or “nature.” These words are not clearly defined or regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture.

“People think it is synonymous with organic,” Glenn said. “I advise people to take the word ‘natural’ with a real grain of salt.”

Glenn said the label “organic,” however, is USDA regulated and means that the food was, grown without hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, irradiation or bioengineering.

“When you see ‘organic’ on food labels you can trust that claim,” Glenn said.

Kelsey Rankin, a sophomore from Olathe, is critical of labels such as “organic” and “natural.” About half of her diet consists of organic foods, which she prefers to pick at local farms. She said she harvests her own produce because she could verify with the growers that the food met her standards.

“With grocery stores it’s almost impossible for me to really tell,” Rankin said. “I guess you just have to trust them.”

As for the word “local,” Glenn said the USDA does not regulate the term, but many places have their own standards and police their own products.

“There is no uniformity with ‘local,’” Glenn said. “I always recommend that you find out from the farmers’ market or grocery store.”

Glenn added that consumers must take responsibility to find out more about products labeled “natural” and “local.”

“In the end, ‘organic’ is a pretty legit claim, but the other two, not so much,” Glenn said.

The Ultimate Guide To Product Labels

If you have your own product, then you understand the most important thing you can do is stand out from the crowd. Now there a various ways of doing this, through marketing campaigns, events, and various other ways that shout to the world “Hey my product is awesome, check it out!” However the most important aspect in all of this is your brand image. That’s where custom product labels come into play. They not only make your product look amazing, but they are the first selling point of your brand. This article is an overview of all of the different options of product labels out there.

Beer Labels:

Custom beer labels come in a variety of options that suit everything from lager’s to ale’s. They can be laminated to help water proof them from ice and dew. They can also be designed with temperature sensitive ink, so you know when the perfect temperature is for consumption. This will help make your beer, the first choice for bars and events.

Beverage Labels:

Beverage labels are designed to be the image of thirst quenching awesomeness. They can be waterproofed from condensation, and also UV laminated to keep the light out, like in beer bottles.

Bottle Labels:

Designing custom bottle labels is something of an art form in itself. With all the different shapes and sizes of bottles, you need a label that’s as unique as the shape.

Candle Labels:

Candle labels need to project warmth and excitement, along with relaxation and calming. Utilizing bright and soft tones can make you smell good wax, really stand out.

Clear Labels:

Clear labels can be foil stamped or UV laminated with ink. This way you can still have a brilliant logo, without blocking the view of your product

Cosmetic Labels:

Custom cosmetic labels are waterproof and oil proof according to FDA regulations.

Embossed Labels:

Custom embossed labels offer dramatic and visualizing effect to your product. They can be created with digital, flexo, offset, foil stamping, and screen printing presses.

Foil Printed Labels:

There are two different types of Foil labels that you can use depending on your budget. Foil print is more affordable, because it’s created with a printer. Foil stamping is designed for higher end products and is more expensive.

Food Labels:

Custom food labels are FDA regulated to ensure safety. They can be designed with any label material, and can withstand extreme temperatures.

Hot Stamp Labels:

Hot stamp labels create a decorative metallic product packaging that attract attention to a product and make a positive and lasting impression on potential customers.

Lotion Labels:

Lotion labels are designed to have a sensual touch. They need to promote the caring and tenderness that your skin will receive when using this lotion.

Plant Labels:

Plant labels are built for the outdoors. They are designed to help you identify which plants are which and even the proper nutrition needed.

Promotional Labels:

Promotional labels are a perfect way to get your name out there for events and parties.

Shampoo Labels:

Shampoo labels need to be waterproof and be able to withstand the temperature change of hot to cold.

Soap Labels:

Soap labels are unique in the fact that there are so many styles and materials that they need to stick to.

Warning Labels:

Warning labels are the first precaution of possible danger. They can be designed in a variety of styles, but there ultimate goal is to grab attention.

Waterproof Labels:

Custom waterproof labels are essential for any kind of bottle or liquid.

Wine Labels:

Custom wine labels show off excellence and great taste. They are what can define your wine as a 2 buck chuck, or a exquisite high end wine that fetches a hefty price.

Label Company Launches Tool for Calculating the Size of a Bottle Label

Longwood, FL (PRWEB) December 06, 2011

Consolidated Label, a leading pressure sensitive label and flexible packaging manufacturer, announces the launch of an exclusive tool designed to overcome one of the label industry's most common problems: calculating the appropriate label dimensions for bottles and cylindrical containers. Located in a newly developed area of the Company's website, the Bottle Label Calculator allows a customer to enter in a few simple measurements from a container or bottle, and it will immediately determine an appropriate label size.

The Bottle Label Calculator, along with videos, guides, and instructions, can be found at http://www.consolidatedlabel.com/support/bottle-tools.html

"Measuring a container or bottle to calculate a label size seems easy, but to achieve accurate dimensions when measuring any cylinder there are a few more calculations than one might expect," said Joel Carmany, President of Consolidated Label. "This tool is designed to do the legwork for our customers, thus taking out any complications while providing them with the easiest way to make a decision on the appropriate label size for their products."

The Bottle Label Calculator is another addition to the Company's ongoing campaign of creating public, online tools to inform and educate on the technical side of the custom product label business. This year Consolidated Label also introduced a number of informative videos designed to support this goal and bring clarity to customers' various questions.

"Using web descriptions, a video walkthrough, and tools like the Bottle Label Calculator, Consolidated Label has found much better results in communicating with our customers," adds Carmany. "This new section of our site also covers measurements for cylindrical, flat-panel and irregularly shaped bottles or containers. There is also useful information related to labeling water bottles wine and beer bottles, as well as other containers, such as sauce, mason and cosmetic jars."

About Consolidated Label:

Founded in 1981, Consolidated Label is one of the country's leading suppliers of labels and flexible packaging. It produces labels and packaging for thousands of customers across a wide variety of industries including food, beverage, household products, medical, pharmaceutical, and promotional products.