FOP: WHERE THEY ARE MANDATORY AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The term FOP commonly refers to information symbols shown on the "front of pack" (main visual field) created with the aim of clarifying to the consumer, in a clear and simple way, information relating to the nutritional profile of the food.
In Europe, but also in the United States, FOPs are purely voluntary. (eg. Nutriscore, nutrinform battery ...)
Instead, some countries outside Europe, including especially Latin American countries, require the mandatory use of FOP intended mostly as a warning sign or as warning symbols for those foods that exceed threshold values and contain high amounts of energy or "negative" nutrients, such as fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt.
The following are the main countries in which frontal nutritional labeling is mandatory and correlated by the graphics they take and the threshold values established for their application.
CHILE
Threshold values
For solid food:
- Sodium: 400 mg per 100g,
- Sugars 10 g / 100g,
- Calories 275 kcal / 100g,
- Saturated fatty acids 4 g / 100g
For liquid food:
- Sodium: 100 mg per100g,
- Sugars 5 g / 100g,
- Calories 70 kcal / 100g,
- Saturated fatty acids 3 g / 100g
Decree n ° 13/2015, amending the supreme decree nº 977/96, Sanitary regulation de los alimentos)
URUGUAY
Threshold values
- Sodium 8 mg per 1 kcal or> 500 mg per 100g,
- Sugars> 20% of the kcal and 3g / 100g,
- Fats> 35% of energy,
- Saturated fatty acids> 12% of energy
Decree 272/2018 modification of the national bromatological regulation, relating to the rotulado de alimentos
BRAZIL
Threshold values
For solid food:
- Added sugars: ≥ 15g per 100g,
- Saturated fatty acids: ≥ 6g per 100g,
- Sodium: ≥ 600mg per 100g
For liquid food:
- Added sugars ≥ 7.5g per 100ml,
- Saturated fatty acids, ≥ 3g per 100ml,
- Sodium, ≥ 300mg per 100ml
RDC Nº 429/2020 and (IN) 75/2020), apply from 9 October 2022
VENEZUELA
Starting from January 17, 2020 (RESOLUCION nº 011 of the MPPS) frontal nutritional labeling is mandatory for products in which Sodium ≥ 600 mg / 100g for solid foods is added through the production process, ≥ 300 mg / 100 ml for liquid foods.
ISRAEL
Threshold values
For solid products:
400 mg of Sodium, 10g of total Sugars and 4g of Saturated fat in 100g
For liquid products:
300 mg of Sodium, 5g of total Sugars and 3g of Saturated fat in 100ml
Protection of public health regulations (food), (nutritional labeling) version of 2017.
MEXICO
Threshold values to be implemented in three phases:
The first phase from 1 October 2020 until 30 September 2023 (3 years), provides for the following thresholds
For solid products:
sodium ≥300 mg (non-calorie beverages ≥45 mg), ≥ 1% energy is from trans fat, ≥ 10% energy is from saturated fat, ≥10% energy is from sugars (except beverages with <10 of sugars), ≥ 275 total kcal
For liquid products:
≥300 mg sodium (non-calorie beverages ≥45 mg), ≥ 1% energy from trans fat, ≥ 10% energy from saturated fat, ≥10% energy from sugars (except beverages with <10 of sugars), ≥70 total kcal or ≥ 10 kcal of free sugars
The second phase is scheduled from 1 October 2023 until 30 September 2025 (2 years) and phase 3, from 1 October 2025 onwards, in which the critical thresholds will be increasingly restrictive:
NOM-051-SCFI / SSA1-2010