[Prevalence survey of using characteristics of quality, quantity, origin and composition claims on food labels in China].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the using characteristics of quality, quantity, origin and composition claims on food labels in China.


METHODS
To get the label samples from different size of supermarket by taking photos in Beijing, and also samples were provided by provincial quality technical supervision, et al. Then extracted the claims from the label samples, classified the samples by determined food categories, and analyzed the using characteristics of these claims.


RESULTS
The constituent ratio of quality, quantity, origin and composition claims were 29.48%, 2.24%, 29.21%, 31.81% among all the samples. The constituent ratio of snacks (16.11%) was maximum among all the samples using quality claims, and grain and its products (36.00%) for quantity claims, meat and meat products (22. 09%) for origin claims, snacks (27.04%) for composition claims. "Nature, Natural" (48.63%) was the most used claims among all the samples using quality claims, "Exaggerated capacity" (44.00%) was the most for quantity claims, "Product of , From, Manufactured in" (34.36%) was the most for origin claims, and "Pure, 100% , All" (38.03%) was the most for composition claims.


CONCLUSIONS
The using of quality, quantity, origin, and composition claims is frequently on food labels in China, and a lot of studies should be taken on this field, government should also enact regulations to regulate the use of this claims.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. andy-pr@hotmail.com
Rong
R
Peng
Lishi
L
Zhang
Yongxiang
Y
Fan
Weixing
W
Yan
D002681:China; D003625:Data Collection; D005515:Food Labeling / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D009753:Nutritive Value