State of the Art of Food Front-of-Package Labeling Systems Considering Consumer Trends and Perceptions about Natural Health, and Food Processing and Sustainability

Trends in food labeling such as “healthy food”, “natural food” and “food sustainability” have emerged among consumers. Notably, some front-of-packages (FOP) labeling systems have been developed and adopted in many countries. This review analyzes the state of the art FOPs worldwide, according to the Global Food Research Program, and other food classifications related to sustainability and naturalness. Applying a food classification system to labels is a challenging. At this time, none of the food classification systems are free from criticism. Nevertheless, it is a simple step to inform the general population about technical aspects that permeate food processing and nutritional qualifications. The use of the FOP promotes transparency. Therefore, efforts to improve, update, and harmonize the food classifications behind FOP are needed.