Day: 21/02/2023

Mexico – New decree prohibits the use of transgenic corn for human consumption

/ infoAlimentario

Through the Official Journal of the Federation, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued an order to revoke and no longer grant authorizations for the use of genetically modified corn intended for human consumption, as well as the use of glyphosate, a herbicide widely used in the field.

This decree replaces one from December 2020 and its objective, the Ministry of Economy (SE) subsequently detailed in a press release, is to specify the objective and scope of public policies, as well as to “eliminate any possible imprecision of the predecessor text, which lent itself to diverse interpretations”.

The decree, he explained, is strictly limited to corn, so that canola, soybean, cotton and the rest of the raw materials are not subject to this regulation. In addition, to avoid confusion, the decree establishes a categorization of corn according to its use: human food (dough and tortillas), fodder and industrialized corn for human food.

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

dof-diario-oficial-de-la-federacionDescarga

Article – Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Associated with the Influence of the Food Traffic Light Labeling on the Decision of the Adult Population of Ecuador to Purchase Processed Foods, 2018

/ infoAlimentario

Abstract

To determine the socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with the influence of the nutritional traffic light (NTL) on the decision to purchase processed foods using information from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2018 of Ecuador, a cross-sectional and analytical study based on a secondary analysis of the information from the ENSANUT 2018 was performed. We collected data from 25,932 participants 18 years of age or older who knew or had seen the NTL, and for whom complete information on the variables of interest for the study was available. The “Influence of the NTL on the purchase decision of processed foods” was the outcome variable of the study. Generalized linear models of the Poisson family, with log link, were used to assess the association between socioeconomic factors and outcome, using crude (PR) and adjusted (aPR) prevalence ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and a p-value < 0.05. Participants who understood the NTL (aPR: 2.49; 95% CI: 2.19–2.83), with a higher educational level (aPR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.09–1.61), women (aPR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.10), and who had a partner (aPR 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.14) were more likely to be influenced by the NTL when deciding to purchase processed foods, compared to people who did not understand the NTL, who had no educational level or who only attended a literacy center, were men, and those without a partner. The inhabitants of the coastal region (aPR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88–0.97), the Amazon (aPR 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88–0.98), and the insular region (aPR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.68–0.84) had few probabilities of being influenced by the NTL in the decision to purchase processed foods, in comparison with the residents of the highlands. Similarly, compared to non-poor people, poor people had a lower probability of being influenced by the NTL (aPR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82–0.97). Factors associated with the influence of NTL on the decision to purchase processed foods were identified. It is recommended to reformulate and focus awareness strategies for using the NTL to purchase processed foods by taking into account the associated factors.

For further information, you can access the original source
nutrients-15-00885Descarga

Article – Food Sovereignty: Rights as instruments in Argentina’s Constitution

/ infoAlimentario

Abstract: This article analyzes how certain rights enshrined in Argentina’s Constitution may play a role in supporting the implementation of Food Sovereignty in a national space. First, the article describes the main elements of Food Sovereignty and the ambiguous situation of law in the movement. After describing Argentina’s constitutional system, with special reference to social rights, the article links every main element of Food Sovereignty with one or more constitutional rights that could serve as a defense against policies detrimental to Food Sovereignty or as an instrument to promote or protect the implementation of this new food system.

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

1832-3363-1-pbDescarga

Article – Food additives added to packaged or canned foods in Mexico, reliable information?

/ infoAlimentario

Introduction: Food additives (AA) are ingredients that are added to foods to modify their physical and chemical characteristics. Approximately 1,000 AA are used under the “Generally Recognized as Safe” designation without approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. There is evidence that some AA can be potentially toxic to health. The person in charge of regulating AA worldwide is the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, through the Codex Alimentarius Commission. However, in Mexico there are no studies on the toxicity of AA in the population, given the impossibility of estimating its consumption taking the “Admissible Daily Intake” as a reference (IDA).

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

1768Descarga

Article – Sugar in ultraprocessed foods in Latin American capitals: From dentistry perspective

/ infoAlimentario

Introduction

High sugar consumption is associated with dental caries. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of sugar and other nutrients in sweetened, ultraprocessed foods from Bogotá, Lima, and Quito.

Methods

A descriptive study was conducted in which information was collected on the concentration of total sugars and other nutrients from a nutrition table of ultraprocessed foods with a sweet taste from the primary chain supermarkets in Bogotá, Lima, and Quito. The groups of registered foods were non-carbonated and carbonated drinks, nectar and fruit juices, fermented dairy products, other milk-based drinks, compotes, breakfast cereals, bakery products, confectionery, desserts, dried fruits and nut candies, and flavored powder. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the measures of central tendency.

Results

In the present study, information was collected on 1830 products. A median total sugar content of 11.0 (7.0–17.0) grams/portion was identified in sweetened foods from Bogotá, while the median was 10.3 (6.0–14.7) in Lima and 9.0 (5.0–15.00) in Quito. Approximately 80% of foods from Bogotá and approximately 70% of foods from Lima and Quito exceed the maximum sugar concentration established in the resolutions passed by each country, which state the parameters and ranges to determine whether food is high in sugar. In addition, most of the registered foods in this study have a nonexistent or extremely low content of fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Conclusions

A high percentage of foods with high sugar concentrations were found in Bogotá, Lima, and Quito, contributing to the risk of dental caries. This highlights the importance of odontologists educating patients on the proper selection of foods.

For further information, you can access the original source

1-s2.0-s2352364623000020-mainDescarga