EU requires information on labels – innovation for the first time for Federweißes
There is an innovation in the wine scene that is being implemented for the first time with Federweißes. There is more mandatory information to be included on every bottle. According to a new EU regulation, wines & co. produced after last December must display nutritional information on the label.
But that’s not quite so easy with Federweißer. It is a seasonal product and is sold when the grape harvest begins. Its calorie, fat and sugar values change on the way from grape must to wine. But there is a solution. “You take the values before fermentation begins,” explains Ernst Büscher from the German Wine Institute (DWI). However, the alcohol content indicates the maximum value that would be produced after complete fermentation.
With the nutritional information, it can be a surprise to some how many calories the drink has. It is still said that Federweißer is healthy because of the yeast cells, lactic acid bacteria and vitamins it contains. And even more so the red variety, because the feather red also provides tannins.
Astrid Donalies from the German Nutrition Society (DGE) disagrees: “Federweißer is an alcoholic drink. We don’t recommend it at all. There is no such thing as risk-free consumption.” In addition to the alcohol, which at seven kilocalories per gram also contributes to the energy intake, grapes are also rich in fructose. “This also makes Federweißer relatively high in energy,” says Donalies.
The expert is also not convinced by the lactic acid bacteria it contains: “You should eat it as part of a balanced diet.” For example, yogurt, kefir or sauerkraut. “That doesn’t mean you can’t have a glass. You just shouldn’t tell yourself that it’s healthy.” dpa
Source reference: Hessische Allgemeine (Kassel-Mitte) from 31.08.2024, page 46