Labeling of food from family farming and promoting food and nutritional security

Abstract

Objective: Analyze the labeling of food sold, according to current rules and legislation related to production and sale, to the promotion of Food and Nutritional Security of the population that consumes it. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with members who process food by hand and sell it at a Solidarity Economy and Family Agriculture fair located in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais. Socioeconomic, demographic and housing characterization of those responsible for the undertakings was carried out, analysis of marketed labels and semi-structured interviews with farmers in order to assess their perception of the importance of nutrition labeling. Results: The sample consisted of 11 enterprises. It was found that 63.3% (n = 7) of the entrepreneurs were female, 45.4% (n = 5) aged between 30 and 43 age range, 54.5% (n = 6) had in their residence of 3 to 5 residents and 27.3% (n = 3) lived in poverty. Regarding the products sold by the enterprises, of the total of 72 analyzed, 12.5% ​​(n = 9) had labels with complete information, 47.2% (n = 34) incomplete and 40.3% (n = 29) did not had labeling.In relation on the responses of the interview conducted, a similarity analysis was carried out in order to qualitatively evaluate the sample's responses. Conclusion: The inclusion of complete labels in the processed products is an advance for the producer, who has the possibility of increasing his sales to institutional markets, bringing greater profitability to the family and also favorable to the consumer who is able to have easy and clear access to the complete information of what he will be consuming.

Keywords: Food Labeling. Food and nutrition security. Family farming.