Tips for consuming solid beverages

In recent years, solid beverages have been favored by consumers because of their easy carrying, ready-to-drink, and diverse flavors
.
However, solid beverages are sold "pretending to be" special foods such as health foods, which not only disrupts the market but also harms the interests of
consumers.
Recently, in order to help consumers better understand and rationally consume solid beverages, the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology issued the following consumption tips
.

What is a solid drink

According to the national standard "General Principles of Beverages" (GB/T 10789-2015), solid beverages refer to "powders, granules or lumps made of food raw and auxiliary materials, food additives, etc.
, for preparation or brewing of solid products, such as flavored solid drinks, fruit and vegetable solid drinks, protein solid drinks, tea solid drinks, coffee solid drinks, plant solid drinks, special purpose solid drinks, other solid beverages, etc
.
" "These solid beverages must meet the corresponding characteristic ingredient content requirements
in the standard.

The difference between solid drinks and health foods

Solid beverages are ordinary foods, and compared with health foods, they are obviously different
in terms of product definition, consumption purpose and regulatory methods.
Solid beverages, regardless of how many nutrients are contained in their ingredients, must not express or imply health functions
.
Product labels generally do not have regulations
on the differentiation and intake of suitable and inappropriate groups.

Health food refers to food that claims to have specific health functions or is intended to supplement vitamins and minerals, is suitable for specific groups of people, and has the health care effect of regulating body functions, but is not for the purpose
of treating diseases.
Its product formula, production process, label and instruction manual need to be registered or filed with the management department
.
The product label should have the "blue hat" logo and approval number, and must indicate the functional ingredients, health care function, suitable population, unsuitable population and consumption amount and other information, its health care function and quantity relationship have been experimentally verified, and have sufficient scientific literature basis
.

Solid beverages are mostly powdered, and some health foods and other special foods have certain similarities in product form, if the merchant carries out false advertising, it is easy to mislead and misunderstand consumers, and attention must be paid to identification and distinction
.

How to distinguish between solid drinks and health foods

Take a look at the product name
.
Solid beverages are labeled on the product packaging with the name of the product attribute "Solid Beverage"
.
Second, look at the implementation standard number
.
The implementation standard number of solid beverages marked on product packaging is generally "solid beverages", "national food safety standards for beverages" or enterprise standards
.
Look at the warning information
.
The minimum sales unit of solid beverages must be marked with "This product cannot replace special foods such as formula food for special medical purposes, infant formula food, health food" as a warning message
.
Look at the special logo and registration information
.
The health food packaging has the "blue hat" logo and approval number, but the solid beverage product packaging does not have the above logo and information
.
Look at the other information
in the label.
Health food must be marked with health care functions and other information, and solid drinks are not allowed to express or imply that they have health care functions
.

(Gao Na)

China Food News(Version 06, December 08, 2022)

(Responsible editor: Gao Na)