Not Quite the FDA: Nutritional Facts in China
Concerned about what you eat? The packaging can be as important as the food inside
As I’ve said many times, some of the biggest surprises in other countries are small things that you never really considered might be different. People spend a lot of time thinking about food; they spend a lot less thinking about the packaging.
For many Americans, this might be a moot point. We have access to a wealth of nutritional information about our food, and yet few people actually make use of it. If this is you, then what (if any) information is on the food packaging doesn’t really matter. But if you have reason to care about such things — a metabolic condition, a fitness regimen, or even just a passing concern about what goes into your mouth — it’s worth noting what’s different between your own country and the country to which you’re moving.
The above picture is a pretty good example of what you’ll see in China. At first glance, it’s a familiar arrangement. However, the info here is a lot different than you might be used to seeing. So I’m going to break down some of the key distinctions below. If this…
