FAO calls on Paraguay to apply food labeling that warns of risks
The representative of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO) in Paraguay, Jorge Meza, on Friday urged the country's authorities to incorporate labeling laws that warn of the harmful effects of processed foods.
Meza said today, during a conference before health authorities and legislators, that with this measure Paraguay would join others that already have laws associated with sustainable food in the region.
The FAO representative in Paraguay said that although Frontal Labeling of Foods, which warns if the product is healthy or not, is not the only way to preserve public health, "it will be an important and essential measure when it comes to reducing diseases related to food ".
He stressed that it will also benefit the production and consumption circuit because it will encourage the development of products that improve the health of the population, as well as contributing to the strengthening of consumer confidence and loyalty.
Thus, with a better-nourished population, the Government can reduce palliative health costs to redirect resources to other areas such as preventive, Meza said, stating that in this way "freedom and rationality in consumption will be guaranteed".
"Consumers face a diversity of foods and, with the increase in world trade and the disappearance of the model of face-to-face relationship between producers and consumers, there is a greater need to create very well-argued labels," said Meza.
He also recalled that a recent report by the United Nations (UN) warned that "today hunger affects 42.5 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean" and that in Latin America the incidence increased from 4, 6% in 2013 to 5.5% in 2018.
"It is not only a matter of hunger, but also of malnutrition as a whole, which takes many forms: One in every ten children of five years has growth retardation, one in four adults is obese, one in five women suffers anemia ... Meanwhile, obesity affects almost four million children in Latin America and the Caribbean, "he said.
Meza stressed that because of this situation, the nutritional information of the products has become a "health management tool".
. (tagsToTranslate) FAO (t) Paraguay (t) labeling (t) food (t) warn
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