Food labeling analysis

Food labeling analysis: Comparison of the US and EU food regulations

In Spring 2026, a virtual exchange was implemented in FOS2001 Food Regulations, connecting 19 University of Florida students with 20 students at Universidad Católica de Valencia (UCV) in Spain. Students were organized into five mixed-country groups and assigned a food commodity (e.g., dairy, processed meat, cereals, snacks, or specialty foods). Each group compared U.S. and Spanish food products, analyzing mandatory and voluntary labeling, regulatory oversight, and ingredient differences under U.S. and EU regulations. Over three weeks, students met virtually and produced digital reports (UF) or presentations (UCV). The exchange concluded with a guest lecture on EU food regulations.

FOS4731 - Government Regulations and Food Industry

• Student-to-Student Dialogue
• Student-to-Student Project
• Virtual Guest Speaker

• Synchronous Activities: 2 hours per week
•  Asynchronous Activities: 2-3 hours per week
•  Local Group Activities: 2 hours per week
•  Individual Work: 1-2 hours per week

• Zoom
• MS Teams

• Icebreaker: The project was designed to begin with a synchronous icebreaker session to build rapport among participating students. All UF and UCV students were scheduled to meet together on Zoom, followed by small-group breakout sessions where students would introduce themselves and share information about their academic programs, favorite foods, movies, and music. This activity was intended to foster early connection and comfort in cross-cultural communication. Unfortunately, due to an unanticipated daylight saving time difference between the U.S. and Spain, UCV students were unable to join the session. While this limited initial interaction, the issue was identified as a logistical oversight and will be fully addressed in future offerings to ensure inclusive participation.

• Engagement activity: Student engagement centered on hands-on analysis of real food products from each country. Each group selected one or two food products from the U.S. and Spain and photographed the food labels. These images were shared on Microsoft Teams prior to group meetings so students could review them asynchronously. Instructors provided guiding discussion prompts focused on required and voluntary labeling elements, regulatory oversight, and ingredient differences. Students actively engaged with the materials and frequently expanded discussions beyond the provided prompts to explore broader U.S. versus EU regulatory frameworks, marketing practices, and consumer expectations, demonstrating strong intellectual curiosity and ownership of the learning process.

•  Collaboration activity: Collaboration occurred through sustained international teamwork over a three-week period. Students exchanged product images, met virtually at least two to three times via video conferencing, and jointly analyzed labeling components and the regulations governing them. Although UF students produced a digital report and UCV students delivered an oral presentation at their home institutions, collaboration remained reciprocal. Students supported one another by sharing regulatory insights, clarifying country-specific requirements, and providing feedback during preparation. This structure allowed students to collaborate meaningfully while meeting institution-specific course requirements.

•  Reflection activity: Reflection was incorporated at both the individual and project levels. While groups collaborated on their final analyses, each UF student was also required to submit an individual reflection paper addressing their learning experience, including knowledge gained, communication challenges, successful strategies, and areas for improvement. Additionally, a post-project reflection survey was administered to assess students’ perceptions of the virtual exchange, including its impact on their understanding of global food regulations and intercultural collaboration. Together, these reflective components provided valuable qualitative and quantitative insights into student learning and informed improvements for future iterations of the project.