Discover everything about the new food labeling in Mexico

Processed foods contain nutritional labels on the back that are not always easy to understand, so to provide more useful and clear information to people, the New Official Standard NOM-051 was implemented. So if you want to know what this new food labeling in Mexico is about, you need to read the following. What is NOM-051? NOM-051 was an initiative proposed by the Chamber of Deputies and approved by the Senate in November 2019, to require companies to clearly and concisely communicate whether there are critical nutrients and ingredients that pose a health risk in processed and pre-packaged products. What is the new labeling about? The new labeling in Mexico, which arises from NOM-051, consists of 5 different black octagonal seals on the front of each food item, to alert consumers about whether these contain harmful components, such as excess calories, sodium, trans fats, sugars, and saturated fats, based on the profile of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). It also displays two precautionary statements indicating whether the products contain sweeteners and/or caffeine, with the aim of preventing children from consuming them. Why do only some foods have the new labeling? On March 27, 2020, the approval of the New Official Standard NOM-051 was officially published in the National Journal, and since then, certain foods have been released with the new labeling, excluding those that had already been produced previously. Thus, companies have from October 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, to ensure that all their foods carry the new labeling. Remember that excess calories in the body can turn into fat, which causes overweight, obesity, and hypertension; excess sodium, trans fats, and saturated fats lead to heart diseases, and excess sugars pose a cardiovascular risk, metabolic disorders, and diabetes, among others. Now that you know it better, make sure to analyze the new food labeling before making a purchase and take care of your health and that of your family, do you agree?