How To Become Label Savvy…

by Amanda Ursell, 
excerpted from What Are You Really Eating?

If you’ve ever looked at a label and seen the words fresh, natural, or perhaps lactose-free and thought, Um, what exactly does that mean? … then this is for you. You’ll find the explanations for some of the most commonly used terms to help you get to the bottom of what they’re all about and whether they should influence what you eat and drink.

FRESH

You can be forgiven for thinking that the word fresh means just that, a food that’s been freshly prepared and is ready for you sink your teeth into. In fact, this term has been misused in the past, so the FDA has now issued guidelines. It can be put on the label when it’s used to suggest that a food is raw or unprocessed, has never been frozen or heated, and contains no preservatives. Irradiation at low levels, however, is allowed.

While the word by itself may only be used if it accurately describes the product, phrases that incorporate “fresh” and its variations aren’t subject to such strict standards.

FRESHLY COOKED, FRESHLY PREPARED, & FRESH BAKED

These descriptions really do seem to add a dish’s “ah” factor. It’s hard to not feel warm and happy about such words, and they’re very likely to sway your shopping decisions. If it’s a toss-up between fresh-baked muffins and some plain old rolls, I know which ones I’d be tempted by!

In reality, although these labels may fire your imagination and get the saliva flowing, they may not mean anything regarding a product’s quality. So if you see these expressions, check the period of time and context in which the claim is being used. If, for example, the muffins were baked on the day you’re buying them, then that seems fair enough. If they were “freshly baked” yesterday or several days earlier, then these words are a little misleading.

Unless bread has genuinely been made from scratch in the store, the use of the description “freshly baked bread” isn’t really considered acceptable. Very often these days, bread comes to the store partly baked and is just finished onsite—so loaves prepared in this way shouldn’t really be described as “freshly baked,” “baked in store,” or even “oven fresh.”

This may not matter one way or the other to you, as long as what you get is hot and tasty. But if you’re a purist, then you may want to ask the manager exactly how the bread is prepared before deciding what to buy.

FRESH FROZEN, FROZEN FRESH, & FRESHLY FROZEN 

These terms can be used for foods that are quickly frozen while still fresh, such as peas that are harvested and rapidly frozen immediately afterward. It’s acceptable for the food to be blanched (scalding it briefly) before freezing to help stop the loss of nutrients like vitamin C.

FRESH SQUEEZED OR FRESHLY SQUEEZED

If a juice has been made from juice concentrates, then the word fresh shouldn’t be used. If it does qualify for this label, be aware that such drinks usually aren’t pasteurized, which is a heating process that takes the liquid to 160o for 15 seconds to help kill any harmful bacteria. Because they haven’t undergone this kind of treatment, freshly squeezed unpasteurized juices sold in bottles are generally displayed on ice or in refrigerated cases and must carry a warning on the label saying that the product “may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.” Untreated, freshly squeezed beverages that are sold by the glass (not in bottles) don’t have to carry this warning label.

If a beverage of this type has been pasteurized to prolong its shelf life, then the maker should say so on the label by using the words, freshly squeezed pasteurized juice. It’s important, because this kind of heat treatment reduces the amount of vitamin C the juice contains.

“FRESH” PASTA, SOUPS, AND SAUCES

You won’t find many makers of pasta trying to get away with using the word fresh on dried noodles. Usually, fresh pasta is the type that needs just a couple of minutes to cook and will only last a few days in the fridge. You’ll find it in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.

As for soups and sauces, since there are lots of fresh ones available these days, it’s accepted that the word fresh can be used to describe those that have a relatively short shelf life while refrigerated, compared to more heavily processed versions in cans and bottles.

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