The Nutri-score evaluates the nutritional quality of food products with a « grade » from A to E. The classification is changing this year, and the labels are going to be different. Is it still reliable for consumers?
Green is rolling, orange is caution, and red is watch out! This universal color code, well understood by the general public, has been adopted by the Nutri-score, which also assigns letters, from A to E , to food products according to their nutritional content. At a glance, consumers can clearly see the nutritional quality of a packet of cake, a can of tomatoes, or a four-cheese pizza.
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Companies and brands involved in this voluntary approach have two years to update their packaging and affix the new Nutri-Score.
1. The Nutri-score, a European ranking
This classification began appearing on consumer food packaging in 2017 after being incorporated by the government into the law modernizing the healthcare system. However, the work that led to its creation began in 2014, under the leadership of Serge Hercberg, a French epidemiologist and nutritionist and professor at the Sorbonne Paris Nord University.
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Very quickly after its official introduction in France, the Nutri-Score was adopted by several European countries. It is now found in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. The European Commission is considering a possible extension, or even a mandatory requirement, as recommended by a group of 316 scientists.
A tool recommended by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nutri-score is now managed by Santé publique France, which defines its terms and conditions with the other relevant European health agencies. At the end of April 2023, the seven health authorities collectively announced that the classification algorithm would see its calculation method revised to promote healthier food choices.
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