Mexico – The Ministry of Economy publishes the National Quality Infrastructure Program (PNIC) 2026

The Ministry of Economy, thru the Unit of Standardization, Competitiveness, and Competition via the General Directorate of Standards, informs about the publication of the National Quality Infrastructure Program (PNIC) 2026 in the Official Gazette of the Federation on February 24, 2026, in compliance with Article 29 of the Quality Infrastructure Law.

CURRENT MEXICAN OFFICIAL STANDARDS TO BE MODIFIED

  • Modification to numeral 4.5.3 of the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, General specifications for labeling for prepackaged non-alcoholic food and beverages – Commercial and health information.

The modification of numeral 4.5.3 of NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, regarding the labeling for products that add some
element, such as fats, sodium, or sugars, and are evaluated individually, thus avoiding generating negative economic impacts negative impacts on the products that make up the various social assistance programs, considering that they are high-value foods nutritional value, due to their contribution of proteins, calcium, vitamins, and minerals.

Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-043-SSA2-2012, Basic Health Services. Promotion and education for health in the field of nutrition. Criteria for providing guidance.

According to the country’s epidemiological data, among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality are food-related diseases. Nutritional guidance based on scientific foundations and uniform criteria is fundamental to combat these problems. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2023, 76.2% of adults in Mexico are overweight and obese, while 6.7% of children under five, 34.2% of school-aged children, 38.1% of adolescents are also in this situation. This situation represents a public health problem that requires to be addressed with education and dietary guidance strategies to modify eating habits, which can be can be achieved with updates.

OFFICIAL STANDARDS MEXICAN OFFICIAL STANDARDS TO BE MODIFIED

  • Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-168-SCFI-2004, Alcoholic Beverages-Bacanora Specifications for Production, Packaging, and Labeling.

Updating the existing technical specifications and strengthening the requirements that regulate the production, packaging, and labeling of Bacanora is essential to ensure the quality, authenticity, and traceability of this traditional product from Sonora.
The modification of the standard will not only protect the integrity of Bacanora but also consolidate its positioning in various markets where differentiation and authenticity are determining factors for commercialization. This, in turn, will offer producers clear tools to improve the competitiveness of the product, increase its added value, and access more profitable market niches, thereby increasing the profitability and sustainability of their operations. Moreover, as a designation of origin, it is essential to safeguard Bacanora, protecting its identity, tradition, and recognition against imitations or improper uses.

  • Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-070-SCFI-2016, Alcoholic Beverages-Mezcal-Specifications.

The modification of the Official Mexican Standard responds to the need to update the Standard to technological advancements. productive and commercial advancements that this industry has experienced. Mezcal has the Denomination of Origin Mezcal (DOM), declared by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property in 1994, which protects its quality and unique characteristics derived from its geographical origin and the traditional knowledge of the producers.

  • Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-004-SSA1-2013, Environmental Health. Limitations and sanitary specifications for the use of lead compounds.

Protect the health of the general population from the contamination of lead compounds used in numerous types of
industries and activities as an ingredient or raw material in the manufacture of: pesticides; furniture, plumbing that carries drinking water potable, glazed pottery, glazed ceramics, and porcelain, which are used to contain and process food and/or beverages.

  • Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-231-SSA1-2016, Glazed pottery, glazed ceramics, porcelain, and glass articles – Maximum permissible limits of soluble lead and cadmium – Test method.

Protect the health of the general population from lead and cadmium contamination due to the use of pottery articles.
glazed, glazed ceramics, porcelain, and glassware used for containing and processing food and beverages.

  • Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-218-SSA1-2011, Products and Services. Non-alcoholic flavored beverages, their concentrates, concentrated products for preparing them, and beverages with added caffeine. Specifications and sanitary regulations. Test methods.

Establishment of the minimum sugar content in sports drinks, to prevent the existence of drinks solely with
electrolytes, especially with sodium, which do not rehydrate. Avoid the presence in the market of electrolyte drinks that, according to current regulations, are considered as inputs. Inclusion of specifications for non-alcoholic beverages with
content of vegetable or fruit or vegetable, when included in NOM-173-SE-2021, Juices, coconut water, nectars, non-alcoholic beverages with vegetable or fruit or vegetable content, non-alcoholic beverages with vegetable, fruit, or vegetable content and prepackaged non-alcoholic flavored beverages – Denominations – Specifications – Commercial Information and Testing Methods.

RESCHEDULED TOPICS / TOPIC TO BE DEVELOPED

  • Test Methods for Nutrient Determination.

It is necessary to establish testing methods for the determination of nutrients in order to have the elements to verify compliance with nutritional specifications that non-alcoholic foods or beverages must contain in the regulations or applicable standards or the nutrient content declared on the label of non-alcoholic foods and beverages prepackaged alcoholic beverages, actions that are not possible to carry out by referring to the current health regulations

Venezuela – SECAMER publishes a draft amendment to the COVENIN Standard 2302:2025 Dehydrated mixtures for broths, soups, and creams

The Decentralized Service for Standardization, Quality, Metrology, and Technical Regulations (SENCAMER in Spanish) has published the Draft Amendment of the Venezuelan Standard COVENIN 2302:2025 Dehydrated Mixtures for Broths, Soups, and Creams. Requirements. (1st Review). This standard establishes the requirements that dehydrated mixtures must meet for the preparation of broths, soups, and creams intended for human consumption.

Venezuela – SECAMER publishes new draft standard COVENIN 5003-1:2025 Cocuy

The Decentralized Service for Standardization, Quality, Metrology, and Technical Regulations (SENCAMER in Spanish) has published the Draft Venezuelan Standard COVENIN 5003-1:2025 Cocuy. Part 1: Terms and definitions. This standard defines the terms of the cocuy production chain.

Venezuela – SECAMER publishes draft update of COVENIN Standard 604:2025 Coffee

The Decentralized Service for Standardization, Quality, Metrology, and Technical Regulations (SENCAMER in Spanish) has published the Draft Venezuelan Standard COVENIN 604:2025 Coffee. Terms and definitions. (1st Revision). This standard will apply to the definitions of the coffee sector, by-products, and derivatives of national and international production.

Chile – MAPA updates sanitary criteria for fish evaluation

The Ministry of Health (MINSAL in Spanish) has issued Decree No 8, which amends Articles 318 and 323 of the Food Sanitary Regulation. The Decree will come into effect 12 months after its publication in the Official Gazette. The main modifications are as follows:

1) Article 318 is replaced by the following:

Article 318. Fresh fish that is not eviscerated immediately after capture may only be marketed if it has been immediately subjected to freezing at a maximum temperature of minus 18° Celsius, measured at its thermal center, for a sufficient time to kill any parasites that may be present. The sufficiency of the treatment will be evaluated and validated by the company that performs it thru tests that subject the product to freezing treatments, measured at the thermal center, and exposure time to those temperatures that demonstrate they are capable of killing the parasites. The company must keep records of these evaluations and the treatments applied, which must be made available to the health authority if requested.

2) Article 323 is replaced by the following:

“Article 323.” Fresh and frozen fish intended for human consumption must be kept refrigerated or frozen according to their condition, in accordance with the provisions of articles 314 and 315 of this regulation. Fish intended for human consumption must be free of live parasites and their cysts. Although the parasites and their cysts have been inactivated by freezing treatments, the fish must not contain two or more parasites per kg of sample unit with a cyst larger than 3 mm in diameter or an unencapsulated parasite larger than 10 mm in length.