NUTRITION FACTS LABEL

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What else is missing from your product label?

In Mexico, packaged food products are required to display a nutritional table.

This applies to all food products sold within the country, whether they are domestically produced or imported.

The nutritional information can be determined through theoretical calculations or through physicochemical analysis in a food testing laboratory.

Failure to comply with this legal requirement can result in significant fines and the forced removal of the product from all points of sale. The product would then need to be re-labeled and redistributed through intermediaries willing to continue selling it.

There is one exception to this obligation, which applies to coffee, herbs, and some other products that consist of a single ingredient.

Including a nutritional table is also a smart marketing move. Consumers perceive a product that lacks complete information on its packaging as risky, non-compliant with regulations, and untrustworthy. Simply adding nutritional information increases the perceived reliability of the product.

Furthermore, modern Mexican consumers are increasingly concerned about the nutritional content and caloric intake of packaged foods in their diet.

nutritional information legislation in méxico

The latest modifications to the Nutritional Standards of 2020, specifically the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, highlight the changes in commercial and health information required on the labeling of pre-packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages, whether domestically manufactured or foreign.

This includes the front-of-pack labeling, which involves the use of octagons or FOOD WARNINGS based on the nutritional declaration of the food. These FOOD WARNINGS indicate the excessive components that consumers should consider when including or excluding them from their diet.

The intention is to raise consumer awareness about the consumption of macro-nutrients that have an impact on health when consumed in excess.

The FOOD WARNINGS mandated by NOM-051 are as follows:

EXCESSIVE CALORIES (EXCESO DE CALORÍAS)

This FOOD WARNING indicates that the product contains more than 275 total kilocalories per 100 grams of solid product or more than 70 total kilocalories per 100 milliliters of liquid product. Excessive calorie intake can lead to weight gain, obesity, and various health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, insulin resistance, and overweight.

ECESSIVE SUGARS (EXCESO AZÚCARES)

This FOOD WARNING identifies products that contain a high percentage of energy from free sugars. It is important to note that different types of sugars exist, including monosaccharides (such as glucose and fructose), disaccharides (such as maltose and sucrose), and trisaccharides (such as maltotriose and raffinose). Excessive sugar consumption can lead to cardiovascular diseases, dental caries, obesity, type 2 diabetes, among other conditions.

ExcessivE saturated fats (Exceso grasas saturadas)

This FOOD WARNING indicates that the product contains more than 10% of its total energy from saturated fats per 100 grams of solid product or 100 milliliters of liquid product. Excessive consumption of saturated fats can contribute to obesity and the accumulation of cholesterol in arteries. It is worth mentioning that saturated fats are healthier than trans fats derived from hydrogenated saturated fats.

In conclusion, complying with the mandatory nutritional labeling requirements in Mexico is essential for both legal compliance and effective marketing. These regulations aim to inform and empower consumers to make healthier choices and improve their overall well-being.

Excess Trans Fats (EXCESO GRASAS TRANS)

Trans fatty acids, commonly known as trans fats, have the characteristic of being stable to oxidative rancidity, which allows them to have a prolonged shelf life. They also have a melting point that falls between saturated and unsaturated fats. For these reasons, they have been widely used in the food industry. However, in recent years, epidemiological and clinical evidence has emerged indicating that trans fats are a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and are involved in processes of inflammation, diabetes, and cancer. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the quantitative data of their intake.

According to the new front-of-package labeling regulation in Mexico, a product with this FOOD WARNING contains more than 1% of total energy from trans fats per 100g of solid product or 100ml of liquid product.

Excess Sodium (EXCESO SODIO)

Excessive consumption of salt, especially sodium chloride, is one of the main causes of high blood pressure, which accounts for 5% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases. When consumed in excessive amounts, sodium makes the arteries rigid and greatly hinders the work of the heart and kidneys.

Although table salt intake is often monitored, it is important to be aware that there are also foods with high salt content, such as processed meats, canned goods, concentrated broths, and fried foods, among others.

According to the new labeling regulations in Mexico, a product with this FOOD WARNING contains more than 300mg of sodium per 100g of solid product and more than 45mg of sodium per 100ml of liquid product.

The modifications to NOM-051 also include warnings on the labels of pre-packaged products containing sweeteners or caffeine, recommending against their consumption for infants.

All these changes have helped to raise consumer awareness of their food intake. Additionally, they have prompted both large and small companies that offer pre-packaged products to the population to reformulate their products in order to have fewer FOOD WARNINGS and therefore be healthier and of better quality. Consumers naturally reject products with multiple seals.

On the other hand, for front-of-package labeling to work effectively, there needs to be an analysis of the FOOD WARNINGS. The FOOD WARNINGS on a product label are determined based on 100g or 100ml of the product, and sometimes the portion size in the packaging is less than the quantity used to determine the seals. This means that even if it says "Excess Carbohydrates," it doesn't necessarily mean that you will consume an excessive amount of carbohydrates if you consume the portion from the packaging. It depends on the product and the seal. Alternatively, the portion size in the packaging may be larger than 100g or 100ml, resulting in excessive intake of carbohydrates, sugars, saturated fats, trans fats, or sodium, depending on the case, without being specified on the label.

Therefore, it is important to understand how the FOOD WARNINGS are determined and not just rely on their presence on the products.

In conclusion, it is important to have a balanced diet, include fruits and vegetables, drink water daily, and be aware of portion sizes in order to avoid excess consumption.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• 2020. Modificación a la Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-051-SCFI/ssa1-2010, Especificaciones generales de etiquetado para alimentos y bebidas no alcohólicas preenvasados. Secretaria de economía. Diaria Oficial. Taken from: https://www.dof.gob.mx/2020/SEECO/NOM_051.pdf

• Miguel SPE. El síndrome metabólico: un alto riesgo para individuos sedentarios. Revista Cubana de Información en Ciencias de la Salud (ACIMED). 2009;20(2):1-8. Taken from: https://www.medigraphic.com/cgi-bin/new/resumen.cgi?IDARTICULO=31270

• Ballesteros-Vásquez, M. N., Valenzuela-Calvillo, L. S., Artalejo-Ochoa, E., & Robles-Sardin, A. E. (2012). Ácidos grasos trans: un análisis del efecto de su consumo en la salud humana, regulación del contenido en alimentos y alternativas para disminuirlos. Nutrición hospitalaria, 27(1), 54-64. Taken from: https://scielo.isciii.es/pdf/nh/v27n1/07_revision_06.pdf

Are you selling in united states and need a nutrition fact label for your products?

we can help you

At BRANDWATCH, we contribute to the success of consumer brand producers by creating packaging designs that allow them to enter new distribution channels, attract more consumers, and comply with labeling regulations. Just as we have helped hundreds of companies find the ideal market niche for their products, we have also helped them avoid any problems related to food labeling requirements.

We can also analyze your current labeling and make changes to the text, position, and size to ensure compliance with regulations, whether in Mexico or the US.

Nutrition Facts Table for United States in Compliance with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

In the United States of America, you will find a nutrition facts label on all packaged foods and beverages. This regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is designed to inform consumers about the type of nutrients contained in foods and to keep them aware of certain ingredients that may have negative or positive effects on their diet.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring that packaged foods sold in the United States are safe, healthy, and properly labeled. This applies to both domestically produced foods and foods from foreign countries. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) are the federal laws that govern food products under the jurisdiction of the FDA.

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), which amended the FD&C Act, requires most foods to display a nutrition label and mandates that food labels provide declarations about nutrient content and certain defined health messages to meet legal requirements. It is the responsibility of food industry businesses in the United States and abroad to stay up-to-date with the legal requirements for food labeling.

What should a Nutrition Facts table for the United States contain?

In 2016, this labeling regulation underwent its latest modification.

SERVINGS:

The number of "servings per container" and "serving size" has increased and is now displayed in a larger font size and bold letters. The actual serving sizes have been updated to reflect the quantities that consumers actually eat and drink today. For example, the serving size for ice cream was previously 1/2 cup and is now 2/3 cup.

CALORIES:

The calorie field is now expressed in a larger font size and bold letters.

FAT:

The calorie field for fat has been removed because recent research shows that it is more relevant to inform about the type of fat consumed rather than the quantity.

ADDED SUGARS:

Added sugars must be presented in the nutrition table in grams and the percentage of daily value (%DV) must be declared. The Daily Value is defined as the percentage that represents on a 2,000 calorie diet per day, which is used as a suggested standard for daily calorie consumption.

Added sugars include sugars that are added to foods during the production process or are packaged as such (e. . regular sugar), and also include sugars from syrups, honey, and concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.

Key Nutrients:

Through modifications to the law, the list of nutrients that are required or allowed on the label has been changing. Currently, vitamin D and potassium are now required on the label because Americans' diets do not always include the recommended amounts of these nutrients.

Displaying the amounts of vitamin A and C is no longer required, as deficiencies of these vitamins in the diet are rare today.

The actual amount (in milligrams or micrograms) must be included in the nutrition table, in addition to the percentage of daily value, for vitamin D, iron, calcium, and potassium.

The daily values for nutrients are also constantly updated based on the latest scientific studies. Daily values are established amounts of nutrients recommended for consumption or limits that should not be exceeded, and they are used to calculate the percentage of daily value.

Footnote:

The footnote at the bottom of the label is an explanatory note to provide context to the consumer about the daily value and help them understand the nutritional information in the context of a total daily diet.