LEARNING ABOUT NUTRITIONAL LABELING AND PRESENCE OF ALLERGENS IN FOODS. A SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Spanish consumers perceive that, in relation to food labeling, they have not enough information and that food labeling is difficult to understand. Despite the efforts made to improve the labeling, its interpretation by consumers is not always adequate. Almost half of the consumers asked consider they are not enough informed in nutrition and labeling interpretation. This project provides novel strategies and direct and accessible help to the citizen, not only to improve knowledge, but also to combat misinformation or false beliefs that so easily reach the consumer through the media. In addition, there are vulnerable groups, such as those who have intolerances and / or allergies who need to have clear information in order to make adequate dietary choices.

The general objective of this work is to design, program and develop health promotion activities aimed at the population of Madrid, as well as to help consumers to interpret nutritional labeling and presence of food allergens, as a service learning experience. Undergraduate students of different degrees of the Complutense University of Madrid (Degree in Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Food Science and Technology,) will conduct it in collaboration with postgraduate students and professors.

This project is based on the ApS service learning methodology. Within Pedagogical Innovations in Education, ApS service learning methodology is included in the idea of Learning by doing and Experiential Learning area. The University, in addition to being the temple of knowledge, is an institution at the service of the demands of the society in which it is included. This value is even greater in the case of Health Sciences, because any action that leads to an improvement in the health of the population implies a benefit for society from many points of view.

Students should reflect on the need to train the population in relation to the understanding of nutritional labeling and the presence of food allergens so that they can make informed choices about the food they buy and consume, which is an action to promote health and, therefore, improve the quality of life of the general population.

Practical theoretical workshops will be performed by students of the Degrees of Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Food Science and Technology in different cultural centers of the city of Madrid. Students, in their task of helping the understanding of food labeling, will influence the following aspects:
• The nutritional composition of food and caloric value.
• The presence of allergens.

Acknowledgement:
This work is part of the following UCM projects: Aprendiendo sobre el etiquetado nutricional y presencia de alérgenos en los alimentos (#ref. Proyecto UCM 19); Generación de materiales gráficos para el aprendizaje sobre el etiquetado de los alimentos, a través de la metodología ApS. (#ref. UCM 197 /2019).