FOR most of us, checking labels is a thing we do before we throw out food that has been festering in the kitchen, long past its sell-by-date.

Checking the label on a calorie-laden chocolate bar could be a waste of time, when we know it is packed with sugar and busting with all things forbidden.

But the bosses at Nestl would beg to differ. Nestl UK is to completely overhaul the packaging on its products in the UK to help customers understand what is hidden in their Kit Kats.

Other products in the Nest UK portfolio, such as pasta, coffee, yoghurts, cereals, including major brands Shredded Wheat, Fitnesse, Ski and Carnation will be included, with packs sporting the new labelling on the shelf as early as April.

The new labelling will include calories per serving, guidelines of calories and fat per serving, nutritional information per serving and per 100g and how the serving of the product can play its part in a balanced diet.

The company has also accelerated its product reformulation programme by extending its salt, sugar and fat reduction programmes across its product portfolio, removing trans fatty acids from confectionery and cereal products, reducing salt and sugar in cereals and reducing salt in soups and sauces.

As well as helping people open their eyes as to exactly what they are putting in their body, food labelling can help people trying to control diabetes or allergies, prevent heart disease or lose weight.

York dietician Sarah Jayes said there was a need to make labels clearer for consumers.

"Some labels can be misleading as they contain information per 100g rather than per serving, so you need to work out exactly what you would be eating," she said. "It's important to look at the whole picture and consider things in a context of a balanced diet.

"A lot of convenience food is going to contain fat, salt and sugar and I would always urge people to prepare their own meals using fresh ingredients, which is the only way to be entirely sure what is in your food."

Things to look out for on labels:

1. Fat - especially saturated fat, which could cause blood cholesterol levels to rise and lead to heart disease.

2. Sugar - sometimes called glucose, fructose or syrup, can lead to obesity and tooth decay.

3. Salt - sometimes called sodium chloride, can cause your blood pressure to rise and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. Serving size - if the label says per 100g, work out the content per portion.

5. E numbers - certain additives, such as colourings in sweets and preservatives have been linked to Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

6. Nuts intolerances - labels that say the product may contain a trace of nuts should be taken seriously as they are likely to have been produced near products containing nuts.

7. Claims to improve health - should be taken in context as part of a balanced diet.

8. Dairy allergy - milk can sometimes be called whey or lecithin

9. Gluten allergy - many supermarkets have gluten free ranges, with clear labels

10 Organic foods - must have been grown or produced by a certified organic farm, meeting standards that emphasise sustainability and care for the environment.

Case study

As a diabetic, Evening Press business editor Ron Godfrey has checked food labels for years.

"My biggest frustration is looking at the packets of so-called healthy breakfast cereals when the sugar levels are high enough to send a horse into a coma," he said. "I always look at the fat content because one of the triggers, it's believed, of diabetes is being overweight. Diabetics are particularly prone to heart issues and strokes and being overweight exacerbates the problem.

"I also watch out for sugar content and one of the biggest problems is when it comes to sugary drinks; I live on diet colas.

"I can understand Nestl UK labelling some of their so-called healthy products - but labelling Kit Kats is like asserting that the grass is green."

Updated: 11:30 Friday, February 11, 2005