No abstract

Aim: Numerous Front-of-Pack nutrition labelling systems have been proposed in recent years to assist consumers in making healthier food choices, including reducing sugar intake. Packaged beverages represent one product category that has undergone significant diversification and has emerging new subcategories. The present study examined the implications of applying three different currently used or proposed Front-of Pack nutrition labels to a range of pre-packaged beverage products to descriptively assess their potential utility. Methods: The Traffic Light System, % Daily Intake label and the Health Star Rating system were applied in accordance with established criteria and standards on 31 non-alcoholic pre-packaged beverages representing eight subcategories. Results: There were often considerable differences between labelling system ratings for the same products. The Traffic Light System had similar labelling when comparing soft drinks and fruit juice and sodium content was marked as low for all tested products. Percentage Daily Intake reflected similar results for regular soft drinks and fruit juices; however, in terms of energy, liquid breakfast ranked highest followed by energy drinks, fruit juice and soft drinks. The Health Star Rating showed the fruit juice category to be healthier than other beverages, including water. Diet products scored 0.5-1 stars more than regular products. Conclusions: The Health Star Rating system was concluded to be more suitable to label beverages based on better utility, applicability and ease of identifying healthier beverage choices; however, this system would benefit from further refinement. Labelling simplicity, health representativeness, marketplace utility and consumer comprehensiveness are important considerations for future labelling development.

Purpose The appearance of a rapidly expanding range of ready-to-drink packaged beverages in the marketplace has been met with widespread consumer acceptance. The aim of this study is to profile the nutritional composition and dental erosive potential of a sample of beverages sold for consumption in Brisbane supermarkets. Design/methodology/approach In all, 44 beverages were assessed to determine their pH and titratable acidity. Information relating to nutritional composition was also collected. Findings Milk-based beverages had the highest energy concentration, while soft drinks, energy drinks, flavoured milk, and fruit and vegetable juice categories contained products with very high sugar concentrations (>10g/100ml). All beverages, except milk-based products and still water, had a pH of less than 4.8. Titratable acidity was highest for energy drinks and fruit and vegetable juices. Research limitations/implications Energy drinks and fruit and vegetable juices had the highest sugar content and titratable acidity of all the beverage categories and so would be expected to have the greatest potential to cause oral health problems. Milk drinks had the highest energy concentration, but the lowest erosive potential. Regular consumption of many ready-to-drink pre-packaged beverages is therefore inconsistent with recommendations in current dietary and oral health guidelines. Originality/value Rather than considering nutritional composition alone, this study examined both nutritional and physicochemical properties of ready-to-drink packaged beverages to reach a more holistic assessment of their health impact.