Rumor:

As long as the food package has the GI logo printed on it, diabetics can eat it with confidence.

Rumors refuted:

After three years of research, our country finally officially released the health industry standard for GI measurement methods on June 19 this year. The standard testing method is to measure food GI. An important guarantee for numerical accuracy.

With the testing standards in place, the next step is to consider how to use the testing results. Today we will introduce the situation of GI marking on prepackaged foods at home and abroad.

01

Australia and New Zealand

Australia is the country with the most extensive use of GI labels. The logo has become a registered trademark in Australia, the European Union, Japan and the United States. In addition, Australia also has a dedicated website (www.glycemicindex.com) to help consumers fully understand the GI value of food.

Three conditions for low GI labeling

Tested in accordance with Australian testing standards 4694-2007

Meet the requirements for nutrient measurement in Australia and New Zealand food safety standards

GI values ??must be marked on the nutrition facts table to verify claims

02

South Africa

The South African GI Foundation (GI Foundation) has formulated The purpose of these four labels is to guide consumers to choose low-GI, low-fat and less-salt foods. The foods with these four labels are:

"Frequently edible foods" are low GI and have minimal fat

"Frequently edible foods" are low GI and low fat

The GI in "special treatment foods" is low-fat

The "post-workout edible foods" are high GI

At present, the South African government has passed the relevant regulations on the above-mentioned GI labels, stipulating It clearly states that the GI classification is used, and the specific numerical value of GI is not used, and only those foods with 40% of energy derived from carbohydrates can be labeled with GI.

You can currently check the GI values ??of various foods through the official website of the GI Foundation (www.gifoundation.com).

03

Europe

The European Food Agency (EFSA) has not yet formulated a unified GI label within the EU, but some European countries have used similar ones on their own. "Low GI" GI label.

For example, some large supermarket chains in the UK will add their own GI labels on packaging or storefronts

04

United States

< p>At present, there is a commercial blood glucose research institute in the United States, which is dedicated to approving labels such as "low blood sugar" and "diabetes friendly".

This means that the FDA has a potentially supportive attitude towards GI labeling, leaving the responsibility entirely to food manufacturers. Manufacturers need to ensure that product information is accurate and must comply with existing laws and regulations.

Some large multinational food companies in the United States have launched their own low-GI products and used in-house testing methods for testing.

05

Japan

The Japanese government has not yet passed relevant regulations, but it encourages scientific researchers to increase research on the relationship between GI and health.

Therefore, some food companies have tested their products through foreign certification agencies and marked the GI mark on the products.

Currently, there are many products marked with the GI logo in Japan.

06

China

There are currently no relevant guidelines or regulations on GI labeling in my country, but the latest promulgation of "WS/T 652-2019 Food Glycemic Production "Index Determination Method" provides basis and technical support for the GI labeling of prepackaged foods in my country, and also indicates that the promotion and implementation of GI labeling in my country is an inevitable trend.

In addition, the "GB 29922-2013 National Food Safety Standards General Principles of Formulas for Special Medical Purposes" issued by the Health and Family Planning Commission in 2015 clearly states that fully nutritious formulas for diabetic patients should have a low glycemic index ( GI) formula, GI≤55. The General Principles also clearly stipulate that "the formula characteristics or nutritional characteristics of the product should be described in the label."

This means that complete nutritional formula foods for diabetic patients should be marked with GI values ??on the label, so as to obtain more ideal dietary guidance for diabetic patients.

In addition to the above-mentioned countries, there are also some countries that do not allow the sale of products with GI labels, such as Canada, on the grounds that GI is not an inherent nutritional characteristic of the product.

In summary, although the GI logo has been used in some countries, strict laws and regulations are needed to manage it to prevent unscrupulous companies from using and abusing the GI logo, and at the same time to avoid misleading consumers. The Chinese Nutrition Society's 2019 group standard "Specifications for Glycemic Index Labeling of Prepackaged Foods" will conduct in-depth research on the above content.

Reference:

[1] Fan Guangsen, Xu Dai, Fu Zhilei, et al. Research progress on glycemic index [J]. Chinese Food Additives, 2016 (10): 56- 68.

Rumor-refuting experts: Ma Shanjie, Beijing Nutrient Source Research Institute, Liu Yang, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Review experts: Xiang Xuesong, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health

This article was contributed by the Chinese Nutrition Society.