Food information refers to any material made up of matter intended for use as food for an organisms. This usually refers to data relating to food composition, food nutrients and food utilization, including trade information relating to the sale of foodstuff. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and includes essential nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or iron, or any other quantities of substances that may be required for the growth of an animal or plant. The information pertaining to food on the periodic table provides a record of the proportions of different elements in foods, including those required for growth.
Some other important categories under food information are spices, flavoring, fillers, and curing agents. All these ingredients together form a class of substances called “food additives”. The commonest food additives are sodium benzoate, saccharin, artificial vanilla flavor, saccharine, colorants, and nutritive agents.
The food information system is normally a part of the compulsory requirements of the food industry under the Food and Veterinary Act. Under the Act, the food information system must consist of a label that indicates what the foodstuff consists of and a list of ingredients, accompanied by a description of the contents. The label need not be very clear; it can be written in a manual or computerized language so that all of the relevant information can be noted down in alphabetical order. The importance of food labelling is that it helps both the consumer and the food business to understand the contents of foodstuff, thereby allowing them to make informed decisions about buying or selling it.
