It's important to keep consumers educated on nutritional information no matter what the food item in question is, but in some cases it becomes even more necessary. While consumers of candy or well-known "junk" foods may posses a basic knowledge of the high levels of fats and sugars in what they're eating, this may not necessarily be the case for other products.

A new announcement from Starbucks shows that the popular coffee chain will be taking some initiative on this front by offering snack and coffee labels with descriptions of the calories each item contains.

The chain has done so voluntarily, according to Reuters, and will begin this program starting on June 25. Starbucks allegedly already allows customers to find out this information in other ways, such as online, and also claims to offer lower-calorie ingredients in its various locations, in order to comply with future requirements from the Food and Drug Administration.

However, one of the big concerns involved with food labels is the potential for inaccuracies, which are reportedly not regulated. "Hidden calories" can be a frightening proposition, especially when customers put their trust in the numbers listed on a menu or official website. Back in February, filmmaker Casey Neistat tested a Starbucks Frappucino as part of his "Calorie Detective" feature for the New York Times and found that it contained 22 more calories than listed, although the company attributed this to possible differences in specific circumstances when the drinks are made.

Other coffee companies can avoid eventual fines or condemnations by taking steps like this to verify the content of their products and report it accurately on coffee labels.

The post New labels will display calorie content on Starbucks products appeared first on Optimedia Labs Blog | Color Label Printers | Label Design and Latest Label Trends Hacked.

Though this blog has already examined the issues the official brand name of Champagne is facing in keeping its product's identity protected in China, there's more to the story of wine labels seeking accurate representation in that country. As Reuters has reported, the increasing popularity of wines from France and other European countries has led to a parallel growth in the number of  counterfeit bottles looking to cash in on this trend.

With nearly 68 million gallons of wine reported entering China from Europe last year, authorities are paying more attention to the potential presence of items that offer an inferior product while trading on the familiarity of a certain name. Along with Champagne, other examples appear to be brands like Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Lafite, both of which have seen their French names applied to other wine labels or even businesses that are completely unrelated.

In such situations, making labels part of an overall strategy to combat imitation could be one solution for beleaguered alcohol and spirit companies. The president of the company that owns the Lafite brand, Christophe Salin, expressed confidence in the security of these wines, thanks to special approaches his company has been taking to keep them safe.     

"If you show me a bottle of Lafite, I can instantly tell you when it was bottled, a lot of things," Salin said. "To counterfeit it is not easy." 

Certain economies might provide more danger in this respect than others, especially when considering the cost of putting sufficient monitoring and regulatory agencies into effect. A color label printer may not completely eliminate this risk, but it can be especially useful before a company begins expanding into new territory. 

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There's no denying that the "gluten-free" craze is still at its height. Food labels proclaiming a lack of this frequently noticed element are easier to find these days, especially since those with a sensitivity or allergy to gluten can have very particular restrictions over the way their food is handled. But how common are such conditions, and does the gluten-free market appeal to people who don't suffer from them, as well as those who do?

That's a question recently posed in an article on Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News, which examines this phenomenon and makes an interesting assertion. Although fewer than 7 million people have been apparently diagnosed with sensitivities to gluten in the United States, excesses of $4 billion are spent each year on foods without gluten. And while the amount of those with medical conditions affected by gluten is said to be increasing, it seems to be vastly out of proportion when compared to these sales figures.

In any event, alerting consumers to gluten's presence can be important for food manufacturers. Even if they consider those with celiac disease or other related conditions to be a "niche market," they could be cutting out a larger customer base than they imagine. Trace amounts of gluten can be found in unexpected places, according to another article from the same source, and as some of the compounds which may aggravate gluten-based conditions might not be mentioned on a certain label, food companies might be inadvertently hurting their customers.

Making labels for gluten or other ingredients could be a foolproof way to reach individuals with specific needs and those who simply want to try such foods out of health interest. A Primera LX900 color label printer can aid in these kinds of endeavors by making additional product labels a less daunting proposition.

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A product label serves an interesting double function in that it is meant to both inform the consumer and be visually attractive. This latter quality is just as important to long-term brand strength, and can be a force in making sure the name and purpose of a business occupies a large space in the customer's mind. It can all start by making labels that are valuable as both collector's items and advertising.

This may seem irrelevant to long-term success, but a company shouldn't underestimate the way well-made packaging can stand the test of time. For example, the Montreal Gazette recently spotlighted the case of Alain Laliberte, a Canadian man in possession of an extraordinary amount of wine labels. 

According to the article, while the exact tally has yet to be made, the former sommelier's collection is said to number somewhere in the region of 160,000 labels, well above the current international record. But Laliberte recognizes that there is more to these labels than their ability to be stored and kept as trophies: they can communicate a lot of interesting information, he said.

"It's interesting that some people find an interest in these small pieces of paper," he told the Gazette. "Some of them are pieces of art."

In this way, companies can think of the long-term value of the labels they design and focus on making labels this way. And this sort of careful design consideration doesn't have to just apply to wine labels, but any brand looking to add a little bit of a unique touch to its product that might make it stand out over time. 

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The decision whether or not to identify food products that have been genetically modified through special food labels is yet to be made for most communities. Maine has made progress toward implementing this kind of plan, as the state's House of Representatives decided this week to move forward Bill LD718 that would make this practice mandatory for appropriate food items.

Though some opposition has been expressed by groups like the Maine Grocers Association, the Bangor Daily news reports that this measure was supported by both Republicans and Democrats, with Republican Lance Harvell the chief backer. Somewhat controversially, the effect of the measure will depend on whether Maine can see four additional states take part, although Connecticut has already made its own GMO laws.

Democrat Diane Russell expressed a desire for her state to forego this restriction and take a more independent stand on this issue.

"I believe we will be taking a stand against the corporatization of our food," she said. "I believe we will be empowering our consumers."

Making labels can seem like a problem for supermarket chains and other food providers because of the appearance of cost involved, and also because of the amount of new information required to be added. These particular labels would say "Produced by Genetic Engineering," and would be geared to help consumers, lawmakers say.

Though the ultimate trend of GMO labeling will most likely be played out in the long term, companies designing special food labels can make the decision what to disclose voluntarily, and can do so using their own color label printer for efficiency.

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Food labels can be issued for various reasons, whether it's to alert consumers to the presence of a potentially harmful ingredient or simply to clear up the misunderstanding that could render a certain company liable. While labels for beef and other meat products have raised controversy in some quarters recently for a focus on providing origin information, a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could see certain kinds of beef products given a different label that would warn if the meat had been "mechanically tenderized."

Specifically these suggested regulations come from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a group within the USDA, and would apply to beef that may be susceptible to dangerous bacteria. The official release on the FSIS website describes this process of shredding cuts of meat as potentially hazardous to consumers due to the blades that are used, necessitating greater care in handling and cooking. In addition to making labels that inform customers of this, the changes would also see descriptions of proper preparation methods included on packaging as well.

This is a clear example of why an organization might endeavor to start making labels in response to observed trends in health and science. Dr. Elisabeth Hagan, the USDA's Under Secretary for Food Safety, explained the rationale behind this new effort in the release.    

"Ensuring that consumers have effective tools and information is important in helping them protect their families against foodborne illness," she said.

Newly gathered data can always be uncovered that might influence the way safety standards are perceived, and making labels that are still relevant to current restrictions should be a high priority for companies that handle material meant for eventual consumption.

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This blog has looked at the possibilities inherent in making labels for many different items, including food, beverages, vitamins and other consumables. It isn't just these manufacturers that can see the benefits of keeping a locally-managed printer close at hand: a CD and DVD printer might also offer creative promotional possibilities to intrigue consumers.

E! Online recently covered one such case, in which a Domino's Pizza location in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo discovered a unique way to promote its product. Working in conjunction with local video stores, the restaurant launched a campaign in which DVDs would see their surfaces change during viewing, so that when ejected, they would emit the smell of a pizza, as well as an image on the discs' surface to accompany it that includes an ad for Domino's. These effects are reportedly activated by the heat of the DVD player as it runs.

Using this kind of promotion can take advantage of the specific abilities of a color label printer so as to generate interest. It's likely that customers won't even need to encounter the discs themselves to hear about this campaign, as word of mouth can be a huge driver toward consumption. And such a bold use of labels can also score points among users simply for being memorable.

In any case, a CD and DVD printer shouldn't be neglected, as there are many possibilities with which any kind of business can use this sort of strategy to surprise consumers, who may almost certainly appreciate the effort.

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When companies secure the ability to produce specialty food labels for themselves, they can assure the consumer that the information on their product comes from a legitimate source. Another reason a business might want to take this under their control could be to assert their authority as the owners of that content. Consumers can be confused by conflicting information, especially if product labels appear that are created by some other source. This may not happen often, but it is sure to cause some friction when it does, as it recently did in British supermarkets.

The New York Times reports that boxes of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese appeared to carry sticker food labels that claimed that the boxes contained genetically modified wheat and that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children."

One of these boxes was discovered by an area student who posted a photo of this new label online, prompting an eventual response from the company, that claimed that there was no official regional distributor for the product and the labels did not come from them. Tesco, a grocery chain, suggested that it may have come from the distributor Innovative Bites, but there has reportedly not been any official reply on their end.  

However erroneous an occurrence like this actually is, it's clear that making labels carries with it certain responsibilities and assumptions that consumers are likely to notice. Companies that know how to make labels on their own can see greater brand success in their industry because of it.

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Decisions mandating specific labels don't usually occur unanimously, and can be the result of a debate between different industries as certain ideas are hammered out. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently considering making menus detailing calorie information mandatory for pre-made foods in grocery store-based stations, like the deli or seafood counters. Even though this measure originally appeared in 2011, these restrictions are facing opposition from grocery chains that stand to spend large amounts of money in the effort to implement these new food labels, USA Today reports.

According to this news source, Kroger Co. is a particularly critical party of these new developments, though it does intend to take part in a smaller-scale food labeling system sometime within the next six months. While, the FDA reportedly expects more than 278,000 different grocery locations to be affected by this change, the specifics surrounding these regulations don't appear to have been fully formed yet. 

In addition to this specific company, the National Grocer's Association has reportedly also taken issue with these proposed regulations.

While making labels that inform consumers of ingredients is something that can often garner public support, the specifics of what gets labeled and what a certain label focuses on can be difficult to determine in a manner that pleases all parties. Most can probably agree that food labels that fit the standards laid out by the appropriate government entities are worth pursuing. Retailers and independent providers alike can therefore find a high degree of value in the use of a color label printer to make these labels of the highest quality, regardless of the purpose. 

The post Grocers object to prepared food labeling plan appeared first on Optimedia Labs Blog | Color Label Printers | Label Design and Latest Label Trends Hacked.

For months, now, the health drink known as "Green Envy Daily Detox" from Agrolabs has been out of stock for some North American customers, inconveniencing those looking for beneficial nutritional supplements. Optimedia Labs has a special supply of these "superfood"-enriched drinks on hand for eager consumers in the United States and Canada.

This beverage, available here to interested U.S. buyers, contains a high amount of vegetables and ingredients with health benefits, such as broccoli, cucumber, and kelp, as well as herbal supplements like green tea. Not only does the product offer probiotics and the general positive effects of a detox, it also contains elements that will contribute to healthier skin and aid in digestion.

What's more, the product comes with clear and easy-to-read supplement labels that describe ingredients and serving size information concisely, so that even those who aren't resident health gurus can understand them.

The packaging also describes the amount of times the beverage is to be ingested, helpful to those consumers looking to structure their day around recommended dosages so as to best take advantage of the cleanse. Optimedia will be offering Green Envy for a limited time, so interested parties are encouraged to place their orders sooner than later, with a maximum of 12 bottles allowed per order.

When it comes to nutritional beverages with alleged improving properties, the significance of ingredient transparency cannot be overstated. This offer can allow those who missed the chance to sample this drink when it first appeared to now have this new special opportunity to experience it, exclusively courtesy of Optimedia Labs.         

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