Articles – Paraguay: Confusion or fraud? Labeling of Stevia Sweeteners

Fraudulent labeling is an emerging problem in the food industry worldwide. Many Stevia sweeteners are marketed in Paraguay, and their labels can be confusing. For this reason, 21 packs of sweetener products were analyzed regarding their degree of compliance with the labeling regulations in force in the country. All of the analyzed containers complied with the MERCOSUR regulations on food labeling, and 95.2% complied with MERCOSUR regulations on nutritional labeling. Over half of the containers did not comply with the local regulation for the naming of Stevia products. This is the first study on possible fraudulent labeling carried out in Paraguay, and it highlights the need to monitor compliance of food labeling regulations in the country.

The Americas – Argentina: ANMAT creates calculator for estimating critical nutrient profile

The National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT in Spanish) has made available to the entire population a calculator of critical nutrients to find out which foods must have warning seals on their packaging.

This tool performs the official nutrient profile calculations and presents the nutritional warning labels for food products as established by Law No. 27642 and Decree 151/2022.

The Americas – Peru: Modified requirements of the Milk and Dairy Products Regulation

The Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI in Spanish) approved amendments to the Regulation of Milk and Dairy Products, changing terms in the dairy industry, through Supreme Decree N°004-2022-MIDAGRI.

Articles 2, 14, 31.4 of Article 31, Article 32, Article 38, 59.3 of Article 59 are amended.

“Article 2. Definitions

2.1 For the implementation of this regulation, the following provisions shall apply:

CODEX STAN 206-1999 General standard for the use of dairy terms.

CODEX STAN 207-1999 Standard for milk powders and cream powders.

FDA (21 CFR 131.130) Requirements for standardized milk and cream.

CODEX STAN 283-1978 General Standard for Cheese.

NTP 202.100 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS. UHT milk.

CODEX STAN 243-2003 Standard for fermented milk.

NTP 202.195 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS. Fresh cheese. Requirements.

NTP 202. 092 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS. Fermented milk. Yogurt. Yoghurt. Requirements.

2.2 Particularly, for the purposes of these Regulations, the following definitions shall apply:

MILK: The normal mammary secretion of healthy dairy animals, obtained by one or more milkings, without any kind of addition or extraction, intended for consumption in the form of liquid milk or for further processing.

DAIRY PRODUCT: A product obtained by any processing of milk, which may contain food additives and other ingredients functionally necessary for processing.

EVAPORATED MILK: It is the liquid food obtained by the partial elimination of water only from milk.”

The Americas – Peru: DIGEMID updates the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients allowed in the manufacture of dietetic products (dietary supplements)

Through Resolution No. 025-2022-DIGEMID-DG-MINS, the General Directorate of Medicines, Supplies and Drugs (DIGEMID in Spanish), approved the list of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients allowed in the manufacture of dietary products.
This new Resolution supersedes Directorial Resolution No. 177-2013-DIGEMID-DG-MINSA dated August 22, 2013.

The Americas – Paraguay: Draft Resolution on food additives

The National Institute of Food and Nutrition (INAN in Spanish) published the Draft Resolution of the Common Market Group on Modification of GMC Resolutions No. 50/97, 08/06, 09/06, 02/08, 63/18 on Food Additives, with the objective of updating food additives and their maximum concentrations.
food additives and their maximum concentrations.