Requirements for labels on food packaging have increased significantly in recent years, and the relevant provisions are contained in a detailed regulation. Labeling nutritional value can be a complex subject for small food producers.
The project is intended to prepare instructions and tools for calculating the nutritional value according to regulations. The project is divided into four work components: (1) Needs analysis and consultation with food producers. Cooperation has been established with the Association of Small Food Producers. (2) Registration of nutritional value for raw materials in The Icelandic database on the chemical content of food (ÍSGEM) which is located at Matís. A handbook will also be written for publication on the web, there will be detailed explanations of working methods for labeling. (3) Software design to facilitate the use of the ÍSGEM database and the construction of a simple application on top of the ÍSGEM database. (4) Presentation aimed at small producers and other food producers.
The output of the project are new solutions for food producers, the solutions are detailed instructions (web book) on food labeling (nutritional value, content description, additives and shelf-life) as well as a software solution that works with the ÍSGEM database when calculating nutritional value based on a recipe. The yield reduces labor and costs for food producers.