[Label identities and basic situation of health food in Changsha]

Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2012 Sep;37(9):957-62. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7347.2012.09.018.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

Objective: To study the relevant information on the label of health food in Changsha, and provide scientific evidence for health food hygienic supervision.

Methods: Investigation was conducted in department stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, and wholesale markets in the 5 districts in Changsha with multistage stratified sampling method. Self designed basic information of health food questionnaire was used to investigate the quality of labels the health food products.

Results: Among the 408 random samples, the unidentified rates of label items were ranked in descending order: functional components (49.8%), unsuited community (27.9%), manufacturing date (23.0%), approval number and others (9.6%). The qualified rates of labels were different in different management types (χ(2)=59.793, P<0.05): the highest rate was in supermarkets (71.15%), followed by pharmacies (70.07%), shopping malls (57.47%), and wholesale markets (26.23%).

Conclusion: The supervision of label identities of health food should be strengthened, especially for the health food in the wholesale markets.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Food Labeling*
  • Food, Organic*
  • Humans
  • Sampling Studies
  • Surveys and Questionnaires