The Secretary of Access to Health, Sandra Tirado, assured today that “we are fully complying with the timeframe foreseen by the Law” on Front Labeling and Promotion of Healthy Eating, regulated last March, and specified that once the time for large companies to apply it is over, the “second stage” has already begun, which aims at small and medium-sized companies to do so.
Industrially produced trans fat – commonly found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads – is responsible for up to 500,000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease each year, the UN agency said.
WHO has released a status report that follows up on its 2018 call for the substance to be totally eliminated from all foods by this year.
The Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved the amendment to the General Health Law that eliminates the use of trans fats in food and alcoholic beverages.
With 472 votes in favor, the opinion to the bill that adds Article 216 Bis establishes that “edible oils and fats, as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages, may not contain in their presentation for sale to the public partially hydrogenated oils, known as trans fats, that have been added during their industrial elaboration process”.
The ruling, which was sent to the Federal Executive for its constitutional effects, adds that the Ministry of Health will establish the regulation bases for these industrially produced trans fats.
While 3.5 million Panamanians, out of a population of 4.4 million, are overweight and one in five is obese, according to official figures, the issue of front labeling of processed foods, in order to know their nutrients, is not even being discussed in the National Assembly.
Yaidelis González, alternate deputy and proponent of the “front labeling of nutritional warning” bill, said that it is in a legislative subcommittee, “which has only met once”.
“Unfortunately, it has not been a priority of the commission to discuss” the bill, she acknowledged.
Parents are exposed to breastmilk substitutes and baby foods marketing on the internet and social media, which hinders adequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding. This study identifies digital marketing strategies for breastmilk substitutes, specifically commercial milk formula and baby foods used by the industry to influence infant and young children’s feeding practices in Mexico and proposes regulatory recommendations that can be useful for similar countries.
infoAlimentario 