Surely, with the modification to the NOM 051 you got not so pleasant surprises when you realized that your favorite snack that seemed to be light contains some of the new stamps, what do they mean? Is your presence positive for consumers? Next we will tell you a little more about the new labeling changes …

CAFFEINE AND SWEETENERS

Today, most of the products we consume contain sweeteners and the worst thing is that they are consumed without measure, mainly by children. Therefore, the standard indicates that the products that contain any of these ingredients must have on their label the legend: “CONTAINS CAFFEINE AVOID IN CHILDREN” and “CONTAINS SWEETENERS – NOT RECOMMENDED IN CHILDREN”.

WARNING SEALS

This new modification proposes adding stamps with legends on the front of the labels to warn the consumer about the content of calories, sugars, fats, sodium, sweeteners and caffeine. The intention is to help people and especially children make more conscious eating decisions.

• Excess calories: The WHO recommended calorie intake for healthy-weight adults is approximately 2,000 Calories per day. For this reason, when 100 g of a solid product represents approximately 14% of the total energy expenditure, these products must use this seal.

• Excess sugars: The WHO indicates that we must limit our sugar consumption to 10% of the total caloric intake. Therefore, when a product has a contribution of more than 200 kcal from sugars, it must bear this seal on its label.

• Excess of saturated fat: did you know? The consumption of saturated fat is associated with the development of heart problems, weight gain, among other health problems. With the intention of taking care of you, the corresponding authorities decided to place this legend on products that provide 200 kcal or more from saturated fats.

• Excess trans fat: When you come across products that contain margarines, partially hydrogenated oils or that were subjected to a deep frying process, you are most likely consuming trans fats. Its consumption can cause an increase in cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and weight gain. Therefore, when the content of trans fats represents 20 Cal or more per 100 g of product, this stamp must be placed.

• Excess sodium: At the international level, it is recommended that sodium consumption be reduced because it can cause fluid retention, increases the risk of heart failure, strokes, heart attacks or kidney problems, so it was decided to warn to consumers with this legend when their product contains 300 mg or more of sodium per 100 g of product.

Reviewing a series of snack brands, we found that indeed their sodium content per 100 g is approximately 950 mg. That is, more than 3 times the maximum allowed limit!

GOODBYE TO THE ICONIC CHARACTERS OF JUNK PRODUCTS

The new modification to the rule mentions that products that have one or more stamps cannot display on their labels children’s characters, animations, cartoons, celebrations, pets or athletes that encourage children to buy said products. Although this new measure causes you nostalgia because you will no longer see the typical characters of your favorite brands in the packaging, remember that this measure is intended to improve the health and eating style of children.

Finally, we ask you to make the most of the information that you will have from now on about your foods so that you can choose them wisely. And you, what do you think about these changes?

Author: Nerissa Álvarez
Review by: Betzabe Guido

References

Badui, S. (2006). Food chemistry. 4 ed. Pearson: Mexico.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2020). Facts about trans fats.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2020). Information on saturated fat
MODIFICATION to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI / SSA1-2010, General labeling specifications for prepackaged food and non-alcoholic beverages-Commercial and health information. Official Journal of the Federation. Published in March 2020.
World Health Organization. (2018). Healthy food. Who.int