Voluntary Report – Voluntary - Public Distribution Date: May 04,2020
Report Number: CO2020-0016
Report Name: Colombia Notifies Draft Measure to Restrict Processed Foods that Exceed Sodium Targets
Country: Colombia
Post: Bogota
Report Category: FAIRS Subject Report, Policy and Program Announcements
Prepared By: Moises Huerta
Approved By: Benjamin Rau
Report Highlights:
On July 26, 2019, Colombia notified a proposed technical regulation that defines the maximum sodium content for a list of 67 processed foods to the WTO TBT Committee as G/TBT/N/COL/238. This measure ultimately seeks to reduce hypertension and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated to excess salt intake. The proposed measure establishes a mandatory one and three-year maximum sodium content targets for each of the 67 food categories.
THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY On July 26, 2019, Colombia notified to the WTO TBT Committee a “Draft Technical Regulation establishing the maximum sodium content for food products prioritized in the National Strategy for the Reduction of Sodium Consumption and setting forth other provisions”. The draft regulation was notified to the WTO as G/TBT/N/COL/238. The text of this proposed regulation can be located at: https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/COL/19_4077_00_s.pdf
This measure was developed by Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MINHEALTH) and seeks to reduce hypertension and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated to excess salt intake. MINHEALTH claims that this proposed regulation is one of the multiple mechanisms that the Colombian government is using to reduce the allegedly high salt intake among Colombians. MINHEALTH is working towards reaching the per capita daily salt consumption of 5,000 mg, recommended by the World Health Organization.
To help achieve this, MINHEALTH identified 67 processed foods of high interest and established maximum sodium content levels for each product, following a mg of sodium per 100 mg of total content basis for year 1 (12 months after the regulation goes into effect), and year 3 (36 months after the regulation goes into effect). Below is the list of 67 targeted product categories:
1) Tuna in oil
2) Tuna in water
3) Mixed Tuna
4) Dehydrated bases
5) Dehydrated broths
6) Ground chicken sausage
7) Mixed Cereals and multi-ingredient breakfast items
8) Extruded and puffed breakfast cereal
9) Frosted breakfast cereal
10) Chorizo sausage
11) Chicken chorizo sausage
12) Packaged crouton
13) Natural flavor extrudates THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY 14) Flavor extrudates
15) Pretzel/crackers
16) Special pretzels/crackers
17) Ham
18) Chicken ham
19) Peanuts with other nuts
20) Peanuts with raisins
21) Salted peanuts
22) Sweet peanuts
23) Lightly salted peanuts
24) Peanuts mixed with other ingredients
25) Japanese peanuts
26) Butter
27) Industrial margarine
28) Table and cooking margarine and spread
29) Mayonnaise
30) Mix to prepare flavoring seasoning
31) Mix to prepare tenderizing seasonings
32) Flavored natural mixtures
33) Flavored mixtures
34) Mortadella
35) Chicken mortadella
36) Mustards 37) Packaged soft bread
38) Packaged pastry bread
39) Packaged sliced bread
40) Packaged toasted bread
41) Flavored potato chips
42) Natural flavor potato chips
43) Wheat flour-based snacks
44) Fried pork-based snacks
45) Vegetable pasta
46) Bananas and/or yuccas/cassavas
47) Wheat flour products
48) Baked products made from yucca/cassava starch
49) Cream cheese
50) Fresh unripened cheese
51) Fresh unripened string cheese
52) Hot dog/sausage
53) Chicken hot dog/sausage
54) Bologna sausage
55) Chicken bologna sausage
56) Soy sauce
57) Tomato sauce
58) Tomato-based sauces
59) Sauces with tomato 60) Vegetable-based sauces
61) Emulsified sauces
62) Non-emulsified sauces
63) Sardines in oil
64) Sardines in tomato sauce
65) Dehydrated soups containing pasta
66) Dehydrated soups and creams
67) Corn tortillas
Under this regulation, domestic and foreign suppliers must not exceed the established maximum sodium content and will be subject to government compliance verification and sanctions if found in non- compliance.
In terms of compliance verification, the proposed regulation establishes the use of “certificates of conformity” Although these certificates are currently used by domestic and foreign manufacturers of toys, detergents, and some electrical items to demonstrate compliance with certain health and environmental regulations, if the draft measure is implemented, this may be the first time Colombia requires manufacturers to submit certificates of conformity for food products. Furthermore, on the possible sanctions due to non-compliance, the proposed regulation suggests that these will include those described under Law 9 of 1979.
Many domestic and international food manufacturers and sellers have expressed serious concerns regarding the eventual implementation of this regulation as it may require extensive and costly reformulation to bring their products into compliance. In October 2019, the United States Government submitted comments and questions to the Colombian Government about this draft measure. The European Union, and Governments of Mexico, Peru, and other international groups also submitted questions and comments about this regulation. As of April 2020, the measure has not yet been officially issued. Attachments:
No Attachments.