The directors of the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA in Portuguese), meeting during the 15th Ordinary Public Assembly of 2023, deliberated on the modification of the framework applicable to dietary and tabletop sweeteners. The proposal aims to contribute to a more consistent and proportional application of nutrition labeling of products, based on their compositional characteristics and intended use.

The idea is that table-top sweeteners should be classified as food additives formulated with one or more authorized sweeteners, intended for use by the final consumer to sweeten food or beverages. Dietary sweeteners should be defined as table-top sweeteners formulated without the addition of the ingredients sucrose, fructose and glucose.

The change in the legal framework would focus on the following aspects:

• The frontal nutrition declaration of these products will now be prohibited, considering that food additives are included in Regulatory Instruction No 75/2020, more precisely in Annex XVI, which defines the list of foods whose frontal nutrition labeling is prohibited.

• The definition of the serving size of table-top sweeteners will be made by the manufacturer, according to the preparation instructions indicated on the label, in accordance with Resolution of the Collegiate Council (RDC) 429/2020 (art. 9, V), in a manner similar to synthetic sweeteners.

• Dietary sweeteners will follow the standard list of nutrients to be declared in the Nutrition Facts table, similar to table-top sweeteners and other formulated food additives, also in accordance with DRC No 429/2020 (art. 5, I to XIII).

It is important to note that there will be no other changes to the substance of other established health requirements on composition, safety, labeling and regularization of products.