Argentina – Agave syrup is included in the Argentine Food Code

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The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and Secretariat of Quality in Health publish JointResolution 17/2023.

ARTICLE 1º.- Article 778 sixth is hereby incorporated to the Argentine Food Code in Chapter X: “Sugary Foods”, which shall be worded as follows: “Article 778 sixth: Agave syrup is understood as the syrup produced by hydrolysis from fructans (polysaccharides consisting of fructose units with or without a terminal or internal glucose unit joined by ß-2,1 and/or ß-2,6 type glycosidic bonds) coming from plants of the agavaceae family (Agavaceae).

For further information, you can access the original source in Spanish

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Mexico – Proposal in the Chamber of Deputies that sugar-sweetened beverages should warn that excessive consumption can cause obesity and diabetes

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Congressman Alcántara Martínez (PT) is promoting an initiative to reform the General Health Law.

Congressman Leobardo Alcántara Martínez (PT) is promoting an amendment to the General Health Law to establish that the labeling of sugary drinks in excess must include a legend warning about the harmful effects caused by their excessive consumption, such as obesity and diabetes.

The initiative that amends Articles 212 and 215 of said legal norm, submitted to the Health Commission for its opinion and to the Economy, Commerce and Competitiveness Commission for its opinion, also proposes that the front labeling of food and non-alcoholic beverages should warn about the ailments associated with the consumption of these products.

In the explanatory memorandum, it recognizes that, in spite of the institutional efforts of the Mexican State to combat the overweight and obesity epidemic, “the data are still alarming”. The National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2018-2019 points out that overweight and obesity continue to be a problem that is highly present in all age groups and regions of the country, as well as in urban and rural areas.

For further information, you can access the original source in Spanish

Article – Editorial: Strengthening food labeling policies in Brazil

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Food labeling policies can have different purposes, but consumers’ right to protection, human rights to health and to adequate food, the rights of the child and all other interdependent human rights prevail. For this reason, research that seeks to inform the best policy options in fulfilling, protecting, and respecting these rights is paramount.

Brazil is known for novel research and action that have led to great advance of knowledge and policies on nutrition and health globally. Different sorts of edible and drinkable products have been historically defined as foods and manufactured and labeled to mimic foods.

Unhealthy edible and drinkable commodities industry have insisted on the use of market-forged categorization of products with the purpose of demonstrating an artificial diversification of alike products, for which labeling has been an instrument of consumer deception.

For further information, you can access the original source in English

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Trinidad and Tobago – Standards on Labelling of goods – Prepackaged goods – Compulsory requirements

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The Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards published Labelling of goods – Prepackaged goods – Compulsory requirements.

This standard specifies requirements for the information to be included on labels of goods prepackaged for use in Trinidad and Tobago, the method of display of such information, and where necessary, the wording and units of measurements to be used.


This standard does not apply to the following:


a) goods or classes of goods for which labelling requirements have been prescribed in
national regulations issued by other Government Ministries and agencies; inter alia:
i) goods or classes of goods for food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices;
ii) goods or classes of goods for pesticides and toxic chemicals.
b) goods or classes of goods for which specific labelling requirements have been
prescribed in compulsory National Standards; and
c) goods or classes of goods for agricultural produce.

For further information, you can access the original source in English

Canada – Health Canada’s strategy to manage shortages of infant formula and other foods for a special dietary purpose and to modernize related regulations

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The purpose of this notice is to announce Health Canada’s strategy to continue addressing shortages of infant formula and other foods for a special dietary purpose by extending the Interim policy on the importation and sale of infant formulas, human milk fortifiers and dietary products for the treatment of inborn errors of metabolism to mitigate shortages. This notice also communicates Health Canada’s commitment to initiate work on the modernization of the regulations for infant formula and other foods for a special dietary purpose and the department’s plans for a public consultation in the fall of 2023.

For further information, you can access the original source in English