The Spanish Ministry of Health has launched a project to improve the nutritional profiles of widely used foods and beverages, especially among children and young people. The plan is implemented together with the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AECOSAN) and aims to reduce by 10 percent the content of halls, sugar e fats in more than 3,500 products, thanks to the voluntary efforts of more than 500 companies. Aim, to fight obesity and the three most prevalent chronic diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Products included in the Plan contribute 44.5 percent of the total energy of products with added sugars that make up the average Spanish family’s shopping cart. Operators from food production and distribution, including automatic foodvending machines (vending machines), and mass catering are engaged in its implementation.
In compliance with the Plan, nutritional profiles of menus in school and hospital cafeterias are being improved by increasing healthier foods-lean meats, fish, seasonal vegetables and fruits-and reducing meals cooked by ill-advised methods (frying and dipping).
Operators of food and beverage vending machines agree to purchase only reformulated products and increase the supply of balanced foods, as well as reduce the maximum amount of added sugar in hot drinks offered by the machines by 15 percent.
In turn, food producers commit to concrete actions, with the reduction of
– salt and saturated fat content in potato chips and snack products, with the efforts of the Association of Snack Manufacturers,
– sugar and fat in cookies, with the efforts of the Spanish Dulce Association (PRODULCE),
– sugar in nectars and juices, with the efforts of the Spanish Association of Fruit Juice Producers (Asozumos). In this case, the commitment covers only these nectars with added sugars and no sweeteners, because no added sugar is allowed in 100 percent fruit juices.
– salt content in croquettes, pies, cannelloni and lasagna, and surimi, with the efforts of the Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Prepared Meals (ASEFAPRE).
– added sugars in dairy products, with the efforts of the National Dairy Federation (FENIL).
– amount of sugar in ketchup (widely consumed by kids), with the collaboration of the Spanish association of canned vegetable producers (AGRUCON) and the association of culinary products (CULINARIOS).
Truly an excellent example, from one of the cradles of the Mediterranean diet, which in turn is facing apublic health emergency related to junk food. While in Italy, with the complicity of Coldiretti and the support of politics, we simply criticize the traffic lights on the label.
The Plan can be found here.
Marta Strinati
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
