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Food labels in other countries

Beginning this month – Ecuador’s government is implementing a new food labeling system.

Herman Romo, the lab production director for Pronaca, a South American meat processor says the new labeling system is to keep the customers informed.  “There are two main things,” he says. “The first is the nutritional information where you have to label with colors – either red as “bad”, yellow as “in between or average”, and green as “good” – on three nutrients: fat, sugar, and salt.”

Products also must be labeled if they contain transgenics – or GMOs.  “Based on a 1 percent level of any ingredient that has trangenics in your formula,” he says.  “If it has more than 1 percent you have to label as ‘Contains Transgenics’.”

Romo tells Brownfield there hasn’t been a lot of push-back from customers.  “The very first week people looked at the label and said ‘Oh my gosh it’s high in sugar’ or whatever ingredient,” he says.  “And then they realized they’ve been purchasing the product for the last 10 to 20 years and kept on purchasing it.”

He says the new labeling plan is a good idea, but the implementation has been a challenge.

AUDIO: Herman Romo, Pronaca (7:30mp3)

 

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