2026-06-24T01:25:03Zhttps://riubu.ubu.es/oai/requestoai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/118652026-06-19T08:47:24Zcom_10259_5363com_10259_5086com_10259_2604col_10259_5364
2026-06-18T11:18:22Z
urn:hdl:10259/11865
Food labelling in focus: a transnational analysis of chilled ready-to-eat products in the EU, the Western Balkans and Turkey
Smigic, Nada
Ozilgen, Sibel
Gómez-López, Vicente M.
Osés Gómez, Sandra María
Miloradovic, Zorana
Aleksic, Biljana
Miocinovic, Jelena
Smole Možina, Sonja
Demsar, Lea
Guiné, Raquel
Gonçalves, João Carlos
Trafialek, Joanna
Czarniecka-Skubina, Ewa
Blazic, Marijana
Herljevic, Dora
Nikolić, Aleksandra
Mujčinović, Alen
Barjaktarovic-Labovic, Snezana
Djekic, Ilija
Chilled ready-to-eat foods
Food labels
Secondaryshelf life
Food safety
Food contamination may occur within the complete food chain, with domestic handling and inadequate storage often contributing to foodborne illness. Therefore, accurate food safety information on packaging, including date labels and storage instructions, is essential. However, cross-national comparisons of labelling practices for chilled ready-to-eat (RTE) foods remain limited. This study examined and compared labelling practices in six European Union (EU) countries and four non-EU countries, focusing on date labels, recommended storage temperatures, and secondary shelf life. Data from 2665 food labels were collected between May and September 2023 through in-store observations and online resources. Most labels indicated either a “Use by” or “Best before” date, reflecting microbiological and quality stability. Cluster analysis identified two groups: Cluster 1, mainly from Portugal and Spain, included more stable products with “Best before” dates, whereas Cluster 2, dominated by French and Turkish labels, comprised more perishable foods with “Use by” dates. Recommended storage temperatures varied from +4 °C to +12 °C, indicating potential consumer confusion.
2026-06-18T11:18:22Z
2026-06-18T11:18:22Z
2026-04
2027-04-15
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
0963-7486
https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11865
10.1080/09637486.2026.2655369
1465-3478
eng
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2026, V. 77, n. 3, p. 225-237
https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2026.2655369
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
Atribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional
Taylor and Francis