USA: FDA Denies Request to Exempt D-Tagatose from Added Sugar Labeling

In a letter dated May 18, 2022, FDA denied a citizen petition from Bonumose LLC which requested that the Agency (1) exempt D-tagatose from classification as an “Added Sugar” and (2) allow for the voluntary labeling of D-tagatose as a separate declaration under “Total Carbohydrates,” similar to the approach taken for sugar alcohols.

Mexico: Will the characters return to food packaging?

The Eighth District Judge in Administrative Matters in Mexico City, Martin Adolfo Santos Perez, has declared Article 4.1.5 of the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010 (NOM-051) unconstitutional in two different cases. This is the precept that forced food and beverage companies to remove their characters from packaging more than a year ago.

The measure to prohibit the use of “children’s characters, animations, cartoons, celebrities, athletes or mascots” on the packaging of products with warning labels was controversial from the beginning. There was no evidence to show that it would help to solve the obesity epidemic in the country, and instead several jurists pointed out that it would violate international intellectual property commitments.

Brazil: Anvisa will hold a webinar on nutritional claims

Anvisa will hold a webinar next Monday (5/30/05), at 3 p.m., to address nutrition claims, in accordance with Collegiate Council Resolution (RDC) 429/2020 and Normative Instruction (IN) 75/2020. DRC 429/2020 provides for nutrition labeling of packaged foods and IN 75/2020 establishes the technical requirements for the declaration of nutrition labeling of packaged foods.The webinar is a virtual seminar that aims to strengthen Anvisa’s transparency initiatives, bringing updated content and knowledge to the public. The transmission is via webcast and the interaction with users takes place in real time, through a chat during the event. See the Agency’s specific webinars page.

Mexico: Congressman calls for prohibition of information on nutritional content of foods marketed in movie theaters

The plenary session of the Mexico City Congress urged the Mexico City Ministry of Health, in coordination with its Council for the Prevention and Comprehensive Care of Obesity, Overweight and Eating Disorders, to implement measures that allow the population to know the nutritional information and excess of critical ingredients contained in food and beverages sold in movie theaters.