Food manufacturers may wish to make sure their printed labels are clear after a nutrition expert criticised some for making lists of ingredients hard to understand.

Sue Dengate from the Food Intolerance Network said she has encountered many parents who struggle to understand what terms on labels mean, with 'antioxidant' and 'no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives' causing particular bewilderment.

"While a label can say 'contains no artificial flavourings' it can still contain flavour enhancers like yeast extract and hydrolysed vegetable protein that can cause problems," she pointed out.

However, Ms Dengate praised Europe's manufacturers for stating on their packaging when ingredients can affect behaviour, something which does not happen in Australia.

Back in May, Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation, the Children's Food Campaign and Which? wrote to government health secretary Andrew Lansley in a bid to encourage the government to enforce easy-to-understand food labels in Britain.

They said information on fat, sugar, salt and energy levels should be mandatory for peelable labels.

Denny Bros Ltd, 17 August 2011