Update of the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI / SSA1 in the Food and Beverage Industry

The processed foods and beverages consumption has caused, in Mexican population, anoverweight and obesityrates increase, and with it,the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes orhypertension, among others. The Mexican government has implemented measures such as the modification of the Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, which proposes the application of a frontal labeling thatincludes a warning about the content excess of harmful ingredients forhealth. Countries such as Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and Brazil have implemented similar measures in order to eradicate chronic diseases that have developed over the years, such as the excessive increase in diabetes mellitus, morbid obesity and hypertension in adults and,mainly,in children, thanks to eating habits and excessive consumption of foods rich in fats, sugarsorsodium, among others. In Mexico, with this new front labeling, it is expected to reduce the cases of chronic non-communicable diseases and, in turn, increase awareness in the choice of food products, providing commercial and health information on the nutritional content and ingredients that may represent a risk for the health of consumers through clear, truthful and easy-to-understand labeling.