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Labelling of chilled ready-to-eat foods varies across countries

A refrigerator interior displaying two shelves: the upper shelf contains two clear glass jars with white contents on the left and several dark glass bottles with yellow and orange labels on the right; the lower shelf holds five dark glass bottles with various colored labels arranged in a wire rack.
Research area:Food scienceFood labelingFood safety

What the study found

Chilled ready-to-eat food labels varied across the countries studied, especially in the date labels and storage instructions they provided.

Why the authors say this matters

The study suggests that accurate food safety information on packaging is essential because food contamination can occur across the food chain and domestic handling and inadequate storage can contribute to foodborne illness.

What the researchers tested

The researchers compared labelling practices for chilled ready-to-eat foods in six European Union countries and four non-EU countries. They collected data from 2,665 food labels between May and September 2023 using in-store observations and online resources, focusing on date labels, recommended storage temperatures, and secondary shelf life.

What worked and what didn't

Most labels used either a "Use by" or "Best before" date, which the abstract links to microbiological and quality stability. Cluster analysis found two groups: one mainly from Portugal and Spain with more stable products and more "Best before" dates, and another dominated by French and Turkish labels with more perishable foods and more "Use by" dates. Recommended storage temperatures ranged from +4 °C to +12 °C, which the authors say may indicate potential consumer confusion.

What to keep in mind

The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond noting that cross-national comparisons of labelling practices have been limited. The findings are based on labels collected in a specific time period and from the countries included in the study.

Key points

  • The study compared chilled ready-to-eat food labels across six EU countries and four non-EU countries.
  • It analyzed 2,665 labels collected between May and September 2023.
  • Most labels used either "Use by" or "Best before" dates.
  • Two clusters emerged: one linked mainly to Portugal and Spain, and another dominated by French and Turkish labels.
  • Recommended storage temperatures ranged from +4 °C to +12 °C.

Disclosure

Research title:
Labelling of chilled ready-to-eat foods varies across countries
Authors:
Nada Šmigić, Sibel Özilgen, Vicente M. Gómez-López, Sandra M. Osés, Zorana Miloradovic, Biljana Aleksić, Jelena Miočinović, Sonja Smole Mozina, Lea Demšar, Raquel Guiné, João Carlos Gonçalves, Joanna Trafiałek, Ewa Czarniecka‐Skubina, Marijana Blažić, Dora Herljevic, Aleksandra Nikolić, Alen Mujčinović, Snežana Barjaktarović-Labović, Ilija Đjekić
Institutions:
University of Belgrade, Yeditepe University, Universidad Católica de Murcia, Universidad de Burgos, University of Ljubljana, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Karlovac University of Applied Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Agriculture and Food, University of Montenegro
Publication date:
2026-04-03
DOI:
10.1080/09637486.2026.2655369
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by OpenAI. The original authors did not write or review this post.

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