Month: February 2022

The Americas – Argentina: Authorities remain tight-lipped on content of front-of-package food labeling regulation

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Sources from the Ministry of Health assure that the draft is “in the final agreement stage” with the institutions “that participate in the development stage as well as in the subsequent implementation stage”. They do not specify when the final text will be known.

The Ministry of Health confirms that the regulation has been developed under an inter-sectorial agenda with all the actors involved; ministries and public bodies, civil society organizations, representatives of the industry chambers. All voices have been heard in order to carry out a responsible and comprehensive regulation, which allows the correct implementation of a public policy that promotes healthy habits and access to information in a clear and timely manner”.

Among the aspects that remain to be defined, an important one is the calorie seal. On this there is information, although incomplete: “The enforcement authority defined that in food and alcoholic beverages the application of the seal ‘excess calories’ will apply if they have at least one seal of excess sugars and/or total fat and/or saturated fat and when the energy value limits are equal to or greater than those established in Article 6” of the Law on Front Labeling.

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

The Americas – Panama: Interest groups oppose stopping discussion of the front-of-package food labeling law

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Nutrition specialists have defended the continuation of the discussion of Bill 265, after hearing the request of businessmen to stop the bill, which would oblige imported and local food products to detail their nutritional information on the front of the packages.

The argument of the businessmen is that the norm cannot be implemented in the country because Panama is still in arrears with the rest of Central American countries in terms of establishing a general labeling technical regulation.

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

Around the World – EU: Italian Politicians Condemn Nutri-Score As Antithetical to MedDiet

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Italian politi­cians con­tin­ued their cam­paign to derail the adop­tion of Nutri-Score as the European Union’s official front of pack labeling (FOPL) sys­tem at a recent series of events.

Italian officials once again criticized Nutri-Score as an overly simplistic way to evaluate food nutrition.

The officials further accused Nutri-Score of misleading consumers and directly attack­ing the Mediterranean diet. Instead, the officials lobbied to adopt Nutrinform Battery, the Italian alterna­tive that has also been widely criticized by its detractors.

For further information, you can access the original source

The Americas – Mexico: Profeco requests analysis of effective sanctions against miracle products

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The Federal Consumer Attorney, Ricardo Sheffield Padilla, suggested to the Legislative Power to explore the possibility of sanctioning even with the loss of the federal concession to any media that does not comply with an order regarding the removal of misleading advertising from its broadcasting.

During his participation in the virtual event “Parliamentary Dialogues: prohibition of miracle products”, organized by the Board of Directors of the Senate of the Republic, the head of Profeco considered it important that the Legislative, particularly the Senate, explore the way to improve the Law on the matter. “We must analyze the scope of the law in order to have the power to sanction,” said the official.

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

Around the World – Philippines: House OK’s bill forbidding use of trans fat in food chains

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A panel of the House of Representatives has approved a measure that will eliminate the use of industrially produced trans fatty acids (TFA) from the country’s food chains, as lawmakers help promote health, clean living and prevent serious illnesses.

House Bill 9083 and four other related pieces of legislation have been consolidated and incorporated into one substitute bill given the green light by the House ways and means committee led by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

For further information, you can access the original source