Thoroughly understanding symbols on food packaging

Posted on 13/11/201913/11/2019 by AnEco

Various symbols are available at the packaging of household products to provide additional information on their usage, storage and disposition. Have you clearly understand their meanings!? In fact, there is a high chance that we might use products mistakenly if we do not clearly understand such symbols. These are some common symbols you need to know before buying or using a product for your family.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free

Some different symbols are provided to show if the product is suitable for your lifestyle.

For those being gluten-intolerance, the symbol of two crossed grains shows that it is a gluten-free product, and businesses must follow a specific set of guidelines to be allowed to use such crossed grain symbol.

Designed by the European Vegetarian Association, the vegetarian symbol shows that there is no meat in the food. The vegan symbol was created in 1990 and became the world’s first internationally recognized symbol for vegan products

Compostable product label

The small bud which is quite similar to two-leafed tree is the sign of European bioplastics, and it shows that the item is safe to be sorted into trash bins for decomposable products.

This logo can only be used for EU EN 13432/14955 standardized products.

An Phat was awarded with TUV certificate No. S0584.

AnEco bag is also one of the product ranges that satisfies the standards of friendly biodegradable packaging certified by TUV (Belgium). The product will completely decompose into plant humus, water and CO2 within 6 months – 1 year after being buried as it shall be “eaten” by microorganisms in the soil.

Moreover, this is the product of the first manufacturer in Vietnam to be granted with TUV Vincotte OK HOME COMPOST certificate for compostable bags. This is also the one and only Vietnam company to be recognized as an official member of European Bioplastic Association.

Mobius Loop

The green triangle formed from clockwise rotating arrows is the internationally recognized symbol for mostly every recyclable household products.

The symbol is used as a reminder to encourage consumers to recycle these products as much as possible.

This symbol is also available with a black and white version, alternatively the arrow are filled but sometimes blank.

This symbol was first published in the 19^th century by the German mathematician August Ferdinand Mobius.

Other symbols

1. This symbol is often used on containers, such as of Tupperware, to indicate that the product is suitable for food. The word “Food” can either appear under cups and forks or not.
2. This symbol is used to indicate that the packaging is suitable for microwave use. Another symbol is the waves with the word “micro” below. It is required to always check to make sure this logo is available before a microwave is used.
3. The product is suitable for freezing use – if this image is seen on your food packaging, the whole product may be frozen without removing its packaging.
4. Alu symbol: If there is a seal with the word “alu” which is surrounded by two circular arrows, it will mean that your product is made of recyclable aluminum. It is usually found on items like foil.