Panama – Public consultation: DGNTI Technical Regulation 14-2023 on chicken eggs for consumption

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries published the DGNTI Technical Regulation 14-2023 for public consultation. Food Technology. Technology. Poultry and eggs. Hen eggs for consumption.

The purpose of this Technical Regulation is to establish the quality, safety, packaging and labeling characteristics and specifications to be met by domestic or imported chicken eggs (Gallus domesticus) for human consumption, which are offered to the final consumer, the hotel and catering trade and industry in the country at the time of sale. offered to the final consumer, catering and industry in the country at the time of sale, regardless of their method of production.

Honduras – Public consultation on the Regulation of Organization, Operation and Attributions of the National Directorate of Surveillance and Sanitary Inspection

The Health Regulation Agency (ARSA in Spanish) published for public consultation the Regulation of Organization, Operation and Attributions of the National Directorate of Surveillance and Sanitary Inspection.

The purpose of these Regulations is to supervise, verify, control, monitor and supervise compliance with the legal, technical and administrative regulations of the establishments that provide products and services of sanitary interest. products and services of sanitary interest, executing the policies and procedures necessary for the application of the sanitary regulations. necessary for the application of the sanitary regulations in force, in order to correct any conduct or bad practices or bad practices that have or may have an impact on the health of people through technical and legal technical and legal processes through the imposition of the corresponding sanctions. sanctions; likewise, to regulate the processes of import and export or any other regime of or any other regime of products for human consumption and use, as well as that concerning the network of laboratories. concerning the network of laboratories.

Article – Transition of nutritional labeling in Mexico. Factors that hinder its effectiveness that hinder its effectiveness in young university students

The objective of the essay is to analyze the transition of nutritional labeling in Mexico and the factors that hinder its effectiveness in the university population. In recent years, there has been a need to have a labeling system that is easy to understand and that promotes the choice of healthy food products. Previously, GDA labels are implemented between the Mexican government and the processed food industry; however, it lacked scientific support and required mathematical calculations or advanced knowledge about nutrition in order to be interpreted. With the pressure of civil groups and in the context of obesity in Mexico, there was a transition from labeling in 2020 to Warning Seals, successfully implemented in South American and European countries, with the purpose of easily communicating excessive content of critical nutrients, however, controversies have arisen in this regard. On the other hand, there are limitations in the effectiveness of labeling, such as attitudes towards a healthy diet, knowledge about nutrition and lack of understanding.

Article – Factors associated with understanding nutritional labels reported by consumers in a city in the interior of São Paulo- Brazil

The nutritional labels help people to do choices about their products. This study evaluated the factors associated to the ease comprehension of nutritional labels related by consumers in a countryside city of São Paulo state, Brazil. A questionnaire was answered by 100 consumers of a supermarket chain, through which sociodemographic variables and information about labels were collected. For sample characterization, tables with percentage values were used; chi-square tests were performed to verify the association between the variables studied and the ease of understanding of the contents contained in the labels, and a logistic regression model was proposed. The factors that showed significant associations with the understanding of the contents on the labels were gender, age, education level and previous knowledge to their information (p<0.05). According to the logistic model, corrected by age, to assess the ease of understanding the labels, it was found that men were more likely to understand their contents than women (OR (CI 95%): 0.284 (0.092- 0.876)), as well as those people who already had some previous education on the subjects described in them (OR (CI 95%): 0.106(0.029-0.390)). People with more education reported having more problems to understand the information (OR (CI 95%): 3.572(1.257-10.152)). It was concluded that gender, age group, education level and to have accessing to prior information about labels affect the understanding of their contents; and detailed and more accessible label is desirable.

Brazil – ANVISA publishes consolidated standards on additives and processing aids

The National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA in Spanish) has published the consolidation of the standards for food additives and technological adjuvants authorized for use in food. The purpose of this consolidation is to facilitate the identification of authorized substances, with their respective conditions of use, by both the regulated sector and the control authorities.

The requirements and lists of food additives and processing aids authorized for use in foods are now included in two resolutions and one normative instruction:

Resolution of the Collegiate Council – DRC 778/2023, establishing the general principles, technological functions and conditions of use of food additives and food technology adjuvants.

Regulatory Instruction 211/2023, establishing the technological functions, maximum limits and conditions of use of food additives and food technology aids authorized for use in food.

Collegiate Council Resolution – RDC 779/2023, establishing chemical yeast food additives and biological yeast processing aids and yeast nutrients intended for use in bakery and biscuit products.