The Americas

Regulatory news in the Americas

Argentina – ANMAT publishes changes in the front labeling of packaged foods

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The National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT in Spanish) has published 2 new Resolutions 11378/2024 and 11362/2024, which amend the Application Manual of Law No. 27642 and Decree 151/22 on the front labeling system.

Resolution 11362/24: Nutritional declaration and advertising restrictions

Introduced the “Application Manual”, which establishes new guidelines for front nutritional labeling. According to this regulation, foods and alcoholic beverages formulated, manufactured and packaged without the presence of the customer must include these seals, provided that they contain added sugars, sodium or fats, either as main or secondary ingredients. In addition, the labeling must detail the amounts of added sugars, saturated fats, total fats, sodium and energy in the ready-to-eat product.
Regarding advertising, it is prohibited to include on the packaging any type of endorsement granted by civil or scientific associations, as well as the use of children’s characters, promises of prizes, contests or events. In short, the product cannot be promoted through elements that condition the purchase decision outside the genuine interest of the consumer.

Resolution 11378/24: Restrictions for products aimed at minors

It establishes the prohibition of advertising, promoting or sponsoring packaged food and alcoholic beverages that are especially aimed at children and adolescents.
The annex of this provision emphasizes advertising methods, requiring that the labels be visible and proportional to the size of the container. In the case of audiovisual advertising, they must remain on screen for a sufficient time, avoiding inducing errors or confusion in consumers.

Current regulations and transition
Products that are already labeled according to the previous regulations will continue to be marketed until stock runs out. From then on, companies will have to adapt to the new provisions established in provision 11362/2024.

BOLETIN OFICIAL REPUBLICA ARGENTINA – ADMINISTRACIÓN NACIONAL DE MEDICAMENTOS, ALIMENTOS Y TECNOLOGÍA MÉDICA – Disposición 11362_2024Download
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ANVISA updates guidelines for toxicological evaluation of pesticides

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The National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA in Portuguese) Anvisa has published updated versions of guidelines for evaluating the mutagenic potential, carcinogenic potential, neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of pesticides.

The guidelines provide guidance on the toxicological evaluation of pesticides, which encompasses the assessment of various outcomes and is carefully conducted by the Agency, both during product registration and during a possible reanalysis.

In addition, the guides express ANVISA’s understanding of best practice in relation to procedures, routines and methods considered appropriate to meet the technical or administrative requirements mandated by the Agency’s legislative and regulatory frameworks.

Guide 66/2023 – version 2 – Guide to the Assessment of the Mutagenic Potential of Pesticides

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Guide 67/2023 – version 2 – Guide for the Evaluation of the Reproductive Toxicity Potential of Pesticides

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Guide 68/2023 – version 2 – Guide for the Evaluation of the Carcinogenic Potential of Pesticides

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Guide 69/2023 – version 2 – Guide for the Evaluation of Neurotoxicity Associated with Pesticides

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El Salvador – Official launch of the Regulations for the Preparation of Salvadoran Technical Regulations

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The official launch of the Regulation for the Preparation of Salvadoran Technical Regulations was held. This document establishes the guidelines for Good Practices in the preparation, adoption, adaptation and updating of Salvadoran technical regulations.

This legal instrument allows us to harmonize criteria to be fulfilled by the State’s regulatory authorities, in compliance with the commitments signed by El Salvador before the World Trade Organization.

For the Government of El Salvador, this launch is important, since the technical regulations are directly related to exports and contribute to the country’s objectives, to provide tools that open paths for Salvadoran products to enter international markets. Said Licda. Andrea Pérez, Director of Innovation and Productivity of the Ministry of Economy.

PAHO congratulates Colombia for approving regulations that will promote the elimination of industrially produced trans fats in foods

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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) congratulates Colombia for the approval of resolution 2066 of October 23, 2024, which establishes “the technical regulation that defines the uses and maximum contents of industrial trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils and dictates other provisions.”

This measure will promote the elimination of industrially produced trans fats in food, helping to protect the cardiovascular health of the population. Excessive consumption of trans fats is associated with an increased risk of developing and dying from coronary heart disease.

The regulation, after going through a transparent process of public consultation and regulatory impact analysis, was approved by the executive branch. In this regulatory instrument, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection adopts the best practices of PAHO/WHO for the elimination of industrially produced trans fats from food in Colombia. The first is the prohibition of the use of partially hydrogenated oils in food. The second is the establishment of a 2% limit for other industrially produced trans fatty acids within the total fats.

Mexico – President of the nation promises that Congress will legislate the prohibition of transgenic corn

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced that in February 2025, Congress will legislate on the prohibition of planting genetically modified corn in national territory with the aim of protecting the country’s biodiversity, in response to the resolution of the panel of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC) on measures related to genetically modified corn.

“The Mexican Congress, here with the help of the senators and deputies, we are going to turn this resolution around, because very soon, in February (in the next session period), they are going to legislate, I am sure, that transgenic corn cannot be planted and that Mexico’s biodiversity must be protected in our country. As we say: Without corn, there is no country!”

However, on December 20, 2024, the Panel established under Chapter 31 (Dispute Settlement) of the Treaty between the United Mexican States, the United States of America and Canada (USMCA) distributed to the Parties in dispute its Final Report on the case Mexico – measures related to genetically modified corn (MEX-USA-2023-31-01).

As part of its conclusions, the Panel considered that some elements of the Decree on glyphosate and genetically modified corn, published in the Official Journal of the Federation on February 13, 2023, cannot be applied “because they are not based on an adequate risk assessment, scientific evidence and relevant international standards.”