The Americas

Regulatory news in the Americas

Brazil – New compendia of the Brazilian Pharmacopeia presented at the 16th International Meeting of World Pharmacopeias come into effect

/ infoAlimentario

On July 1, four new compendiums of the Brazilian Pharmacopeia came into effect. Approved by the Collegiate Board of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in May, the editions were presented at the XVI International Meeting of World Pharmacopeias, held from June 15 to 18 in Brasília.

The event commemorated the centenary of the Brazilian Pharmacopeia (from 1926 to 2026) and concluded the five-year term of its collegiate bodies (from 2021 to 2026).

Access the new compendiums:

  • Brazilian Pharmacopeia, 8th edition
  • Homeopathic Pharmacopeia, 4th edition
  • National Formulary of the Brazilian Pharmacopeia, 3rd edition
  • Herbal Medicine Formulary of the Brazilian Pharmacopeia, 3rd edition

Check out some of the highlights of the publications.

Peru – INACAL will boost the export of Peruvian Capsicum with new technical standards

/ infoAlimentario

The National Institute of Quality (INACAL in Spanish), an agency under the Ministry of Production, has established the Technical Subcommittee for Capsicum Standardization, a strategic initiative that will allow the development of Peruvian Technical Standards (NTP) to strengthen the competitiveness of the production chain of Capsicum products, which includes chili peppers, bell peppers, and their derivatives, one of the most dynamic sectors of Peruvian agro-export, whose exports reached US$ 365 million in 2025.

The new subcommittee will be composed of representatives from public entities, companies, guilds, academia, and specialists, who will develop standards and other technical aspects applicable to the entire Capsicum value chain, from raw material supply to final commercialization.

The Capsicum genus encompasses a wide diversity of chili peppers and bell peppers that distinguish Peru for its biodiversity and gastronomic richness. In addition to supplying the national market, these products constitute an important input for the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and natural ingredients industries, generating employment, added value, and foreign exchange for the country.

Peru – INACAL establishes a standardization subcommittee to raise plastic packaging standards in the food industry

/ infoAlimentario

The National Institute of Quality (INACAL in Spanish), attached to the Ministry of Production, has established the Technical Subcommittee for Packaging and Packaging – Plastics, which will be responsible for developing quality standards for plastic packaging intended for contact with food in the country.

During the ceremony, the executive president of Inacal, César José Bernabé Pérez, highlighted the strategic role of this subcommittee for consumer protection and industrial competitiveness: “The packaging and plastics sector faces urgent challenges in sustainability, recycling, and food safety.” This Subcommittee will allow us to raise standards and align them with international best practices. The transition to sustainable packaging is no longer a trend; it is an obligation to maintain access to increasingly demanding markets.

The Subcommittee will develop Peruvian Technical Standards (PTS in Spanish) related to quality and safety requirements, testing methods, performance, eco-design, sustainability, sampling, and inspection. Its objective is to align national production with international standards such as ISO, ASTM, and UNE, essential for strengthening competitiveness and Peru’s participation in global value chains.

Argentina – Approved new genetically modified soybean with herbicide tolerance and protection against nematodes and insects

/ infoAlimentario

The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of the Ministry of Economy of the Nation authorized, through Resolution 113/2026, the commercialization for all uses of a new genetically modified soybean that incorporates tolerance to herbicides that inhibit the HPPD enzyme, glyphosate, ammonium glufosinate, and 2,4-D, and protection against the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) and certain lepidopteran insects.

La aprobación fue otorgada luego de completar satisfactoriamente las evaluaciones realizadas por la Comisión Nacional Asesora de Biotecnología Agropecuaria (CONABIA), que determinó que el evento acumulado no presenta riesgos nuevos o incrementados respecto de otras sojas comerciales y que su liberación al agroecosistema es tan segura como la de cualquier soja convencional.

Complementariamente, el Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASA) evaluó la aptitud del producto para consumo humano y animal y concluyó que la soja es tan segura y no menos nutritiva que su contraparte convencional y otras variedades comerciales. Likewise, the Directorate of Market Policies analyzed the potential impact of its commercialization and determined that no risks are identified for Argentine soybean exports and their derivatives.

Panama – New regulation establishes the mandatory identification of the origin of food products and the differentiation of original products, substitutes, and imitations that are marketed in the country

/ infoAlimentario

The Consumer Protection and Competition Defense Authority (ACODECO) announces Law 543 of July 7, 2026, published in Official Gazette No. 30,562, which establishes the mandatory identification of the origin of food products and the differentiation of original products, substitutes, and imitations that are marketed in the country.

The law stipulates that commercial establishments must clearly identify, on shelves, racks, refrigerators, or coolers, whether the products are of national or imported origin, also indicating the country of origin. In the case of substitute or imitation products, visible notices must be placed to warn of this condition, and they must be physically separated from the original products to avoid confusion among consumers. Likewise, the regulation establishes that imported food products must be marketed under the same conditions in which they were introduced into the country, preserving their technical specifications and origin. In the case of frozen meat products, they cannot be thawed or modified to be presented as fresh national products.

The institution will also develop, in coordination with the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) and the Ministry of Health (Minsa), guidance and education campaigns aimed at both consumers and economic agents, with the purpose of facilitating the correct application of the new regulations and promoting informed consumption.

Acodeco urges economic agents to take advantage of the one-year period prior to the law coming into effect to make the necessary adjustments and comply with the new obligations. Likewise, it reiterates its commitment to guiding suppliers and consumers during this process, in order to ensure an orderly and effective implementation of this important legislation.

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