Prevalence of low-calorie sweeteners and related front-of-package claims in the Brazilian packaged food supply

Abstract Background Low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are currently found in ultra-processed foods, even in those with high content of sugar, without any front-of-package (FOP) information for LCS content. The aim was to assess the presence of LCS and the combination of LCS and added sugars in foods and beverages with FOP child-directed advertising in the Brazilian packaged food supply. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the nutrition facts panel (NFP) dataset that includes 11,434 unique foods and beverages collected in 2017 in the five largest food retailers in Brazil. We used information on the NFP and the list of ingredients to determine the presence of LCS and added sugars. A subsample of the packages had the available FOP advertising strategies classified using the INFORMAS methodology (n = 3,491). We estimated the prevalence of LCS and the combination of LCS and added sugar presence in the Brazilian food supply, and assessed the prevalence of foods and beverages with FOP child-directed advertising. Results Out of 3,491 products assessed, 8.9% of the products contained LCS, of which 12.9% were advertised towards children. Regarding the presence of LCS and added sugars, 7.3% of products presented that combination, with 14.6% of those having child-directed FOP advertising. The food groups with the highest prevalence of LCS were: sugary drinks (juices, nectars, fruit-flavored drinks, sodas and other beverages) (40.6%), breakfast cereals and granola bars (31.6%), and sweetened dairy products (23.5%). From those, 5.5%, 6.7% and 17.1%, accordingly, were advertised towards children. Conclusions In this sample, 9% of the foods contained LCS or a combination of LCS and added sugars. In products advertised towards children, we found higher rates of products with LCS and greater presence of LCS in beverages, breakfast cereals and granola bars with children-directed advertising. Key messages This study demonstrates that almost 9% of Brazilian packaged foods have LCS, and that 7% have both LCS and added sugars. In products advertised towards children, such rates were higher (13 - 15%). A clearer information on the front-of-package of foods and beverages regarding the presence of LCS in Brazil is necessary, particularly among those products advertised towards children.

Download Full-text

Non-Nutritive Sweeteners in the Packaged Food Supply—An Assessment across 4 Countries

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10020257 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 257 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Elizabeth Dunford ◽

Lindsey Taillie ◽

Donna Miles ◽

Helen Eyles ◽

Lizbeth Tolentino-Mayo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Packaged Food

Download Full-text

Packaged food supply in FIji: Nutrients levels, compliance with salt targets and adherence to labelling regulations

10.3390/iecn2020-06987 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Shahid ◽

Gade Waqa ◽

Arti Pillay ◽

Ateca Kama ◽

Isimeli Tukana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Packaged Food

Download Full-text

Measuring the Healthiness of the Packaged Food Supply in Australia

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10060702 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 702 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Michelle Crino ◽

Gary Sacks ◽

Elizabeth Dunford ◽

Kathy Trieu ◽

Jacqui Webster ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Packaged Food

Download Full-text

Which companies dominate the packaged food supply of New Zealand and how healthy are their products?

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245225 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245225

Author(s):

Sally Mackay ◽

Helen Eyles ◽

Teresa Gontijo de Castro ◽

Leanne Young ◽

Cliona Ni Mhurchu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Market Share ◽

Food Supply ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Alcoholic Beverages ◽

Food Groups ◽

System 2 ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Processed Products ◽

Packaged Food

Improvement of national food supplies are an opportunity to improve a country’s health. Our aim was to identify the major food companies manufacturing packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages available in New Zealand supermarkets in 2018; to assess the healthiness of products using (1) the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, (2) Australian Dietary Guidelines classification (core/discretionary), and (3) by level of processing; to compare the healthiness of products displaying and not displaying the HSR and; to assess potential for food reformulation within selected food sub-categories. Information on packaged foods was obtained from the Nutritrack supermarket database. Companies that manufactured each food and brand were identified using company websites and the New Zealand companies register. In total, 13,506 packaged products were mapped to 1,767 brands and 1,214 companies. Based on market share of products available for sale (Euromonitor data), there were 22 dominating companies producing 31% of products and 17% of brands. Fifty-nine percent of products were classified as unhealthy (HSR <3.5/5 stars), 53% as discretionary, and 69% as ultra-processed. Products displaying the HSR on the package had a higher mean HSR ±SD than if the HSR was not displayed (3.2±1.3 versus 2.5±1.4, p = 0.000). Efforts to improve the healthiness of products should be directed to the 22 food companies dominating this market share, particularly in the core foods groups which are currently less likely to meet Heart Foundation reformulation targets (bread, breakfast cereals, cheese, canned baked beans, yoghurt). The New Zealand supermarket packaged food supply included in the Nutritrack database is dominated by a small number of companies and is mostly unhealthy. Government leadership is required to improve the healthiness of the packaged food supply and provide adequate information to consumers. This includes interventions setting reformulation targets for core food groups, setting population nutrient intake targets and mandating that the HSR is displayed on all products.

Download Full-text

The Development and Application of a Tool for Quantifying the Strength of Voluntary Actions and Commitments of Major Canadian Food Companies to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Their Products

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa151 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Laura Vergeer ◽

Lana Vanderlee ◽

Gary Sacks ◽

Ella Robinson ◽

Sally Mackay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Portion Size ◽

Noncommunicable Disease ◽

Health Concern ◽

Trans Fat ◽

Portion Sizes ◽

Packaged Food ◽

Energy Portion

ABSTRACT Background Canada's food supply is high in nutrients of public health concern, contributing to poor diet quality and increased noncommunicable disease risk. Food companies shape the healthfulness of the food supply, yet little is known about companies’ voluntary actions and commitments concerning product (re)formulation. Objective This study aimed to develop and apply a tool for quantifying the strength of voluntary actions and commitments of major food companies in Canada to improve the healthfulness of their products. Methods Twenty-two top packaged food and beverage companies were selected based on Canadian market share. Recent actions and/or commitments to reduce energy/portion sizes, sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and sugars were identified from company websites and public documents, verified by company representatives (where possible), and scored based on breadth of application across the product portfolio, magnitude(s) of reduction, measurability, nutritional significance, national/global applicability, and transparency using the Food Company Reformulation scoring tool. Companies offering beverages only (n = 4) were not assessed for sodium, saturated fat, or trans fat (re)formulation. Results Seventeen of 22 companies reported reductions and/or commitments concerning sodium (72.2%, n = 13/18), trans fat (61.1%, n = 11/18), sugars (59.1%, n = 13/22), saturated fat (55.6%, n = 10/18), and/or energy/portion sizes (50.0%, n = 11/22). Scores ranged from 0/155 to 122/155 for food companies (median = 49/155) and 0/65 to 42/65 for beverage companies (median = 17/65). Companies generally performed best for sodium reduction (median = 21/32; range = 0–32) and poorest for energy/portion-size reductions (median = 2/30; range = 0–24). Multinational companies had significantly higher total scores than domestic companies (P = 0.004). Higher total scores were associated with greater market shares in the beverage manufacturing sector (P = 0.04), but not packaged food (P = 0.50). Conclusions Many of Canada's leading food companies report limited or no action to reduce nutrients of concern in their products, suggesting a need for government intervention and strengthened accountability mechanisms to encourage alignment of reformulation efforts with government and expert recommendations.

Download Full-text

The major types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in a sample of Australian packaged foods

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001700218x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (18) ◽

pp. 3228-3233 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Yasmine C Probst ◽

Alexis Dengate ◽

Jenny Jacobs ◽

Jimmy CY Louie ◽

Elizabeth K Dunford

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Maple Syrup ◽

Glucose Syrup ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Packaged Food ◽

Insight Into

AbstractObjectiveLimiting the intake of added sugars in the diet remains a key focus of global dietary recommendations. To date there has been no systematic monitoring of the major types of added sugars used in the Australian food supply. The present study aimed to identify the most common added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in the Australian packaged food supply.DesignSecondary analysis of data from the Australian FoodSwitch database was undertaken. Forty-six added sugars and eight non-nutritive sweetener types were extracted from the ingredient lists of 5744 foods across seventeen food categories.SettingAustralia.SubjectsNot applicable.ResultsAdded sugar ingredients were found in 61 % of the sample of foods examined and non-nutritive sweetener ingredients were found in 69 %. Only 31 % of foods contained no added sugar or non-nutritive sweetener. Sugar (as an ingredient), glucose syrup, maple syrup, maltodextrin and glucose/dextrose were the most common sugar ingredient types identified. Most Australian packaged food products had at least one added sugar ingredient, the most common being ‘sugar’.ConclusionsThe study provides insight into the most common types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners used in the Australian food supply and is a useful baseline to monitor changes in how added sugars are used in Australian packaged foods over time.

Download Full-text

Examining the nutritional quality of the product portfolios of major packaged food and beverage companies in Canada

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665120000786 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽

Author(s):

Laura Vergeer ◽

Mavra Ahmed ◽

Lana Vanderlee ◽

Mary L'Abbé

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Soft Drink ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Food Label ◽

Food Category ◽

Food And Beverage ◽

Packaged Food ◽

Product Portfolios

AbstractCanada's food supply is abundant in energy-dense products containing excess amounts of sodium, saturated fat and free sugars, increasing Canadians' risk of developing obesity and non-communicable diseases. Food companies shape the food supply through their control over the formulation of their products; however, no studies have examined the healthfulness of products offered by different companies in Canada. This study aimed to assess and compare the nutritional quality of the product portfolios of major packaged food and beverage companies in Canada. Twenty-two top food companies were selected for study, representing a combined 50% and 73% of Canadian packaged food and beverage sales in 2018, respectively. This included 18 multinational companies, 2 Canadian manufacturers and 2 retailers with private-label brands. Nutritional information for products was sourced from the University of Toronto Food Label Information Program 2017 database. The nutritional quality of all products offered by the sampled companies that were included in the database (n = 8,211) were evaluated using the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, with HSRs ranging from 0.5 (less healthy) to 5 (healthier). Descriptive analyses and analysis of variance with post-hoc tests examined the HSRs of each company's products overall and by food category (n = 24). Mean HSRs of companies’ overall product portfolios ranged from 1.8 to 3.7 (μx̅ = 2.7, σx̅ = 0.5) and differed significantly between companies (p < 0.001). Mean HSRs differed between companies for all food categories except eggs (p = 0.5), seafood (p = 0.2), legumes (p = 0.1), nuts and seeds (p = 0.4), and vegetables (p = 0.08). Variation in mean HSRs of products offered by different companies was greatest for beverages (range = 1.3–5.0, μx̅ = 2.0, σx̅ = 1.0), fats/oils (range = 0.7–4.4, μx̅ = 3.6, σx̅ = 1.6), fruit/fruit juices (range = 0.8–4.0, μx̅ = 2.6, σx̅ = 0.9), and sauces/dips/gravies/condiments (range = 0.5–3.4, μx̅ = 2.3, σx̅ = 1.0). These findings demonstrate that the nutritional quality of products offered by leading food manufacturers in Canada varies significantly overall and by food category, with many of these products considered less healthy according to the HSR system. Differences between companies may reflect the nature of their products; for example, products offered by dairy companies were healthier than those of confectionary and soft drink manufacturers, on average. Variation in nutritional quality within food categories illustrates the need and potential for many companies to improve the healthfulness of their products. By identifying companies that offer less healthy products compared with others in Canada, this study may prompt reformulation.

Download Full-text

U.S. Food Industry Progress Towards Salt Reduction Slowed Without Sodium Targets

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa064_016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1726-1726

Author(s):

Alyssa Moran ◽

Jiangxia Wang ◽

Andrea Sharkey ◽

Erin Dowling ◽

Christine Johnson Curtis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Food Supply ◽

Rate Of Change ◽

Sodium Reduction ◽

Weighted Mean ◽

Salt Reduction ◽

Funding Sources ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Packaged Food

Abstract Objectives The National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) achieved a 7% reduction in sodium in packaged foods between 2009 and 2014 through industry engagement, target setting, and food supply monitoring. The initiative was created as a model for federal action, but FDA has not yet finalized proposed sodium reduction targets, leaving a gap in U.S. sodium policy since 2014. This study assesses the extent to which reductions in sodium occurring during the NSRI continued after 2014. Methods We used data from the NSRI Packaged Food Database, a novel nutrition database linking national sales of top-selling products to nutrition information in 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2018. Generalized linear regressions estimated sales-weighted mean sodium density and the % of products meeting NSRI targets set for 2012 and 2014 at each time point. Generalized estimating equations accounted for products appearing in multiple years. Results Between 2009 and 2018, sales-weighted mean sodium density of U.S. packaged foods decreased 8.4%, with most of the decline (5.1%) occurring before 2012 (mean difference = −30mg/100g, P < 0.001). The rate of change slowed from 2012–2014 (−10mg/100g, P = 0.037) and from 2014–2018 (−10mg/100g, P = 0.002). The proportion of U.S. packaged foods meeting the 2012 and 2014 targets increased from 27.7% to 40.9% and 13.6% to 19.7%, respectively, from 2009–2018; all changes occurred from 2009–2012. Among products in the top 80% of sales in all years, sodium declined 5.5% from 2009–2012 (−32 mg/100g, P < 0.001) and 1.5% from 2012–2014 (−15 mg/100g, P = 0.029) due to reformulation, with no further changes after 2014. Products new to the marketplace after 2009 showed no decline in sodium density after 2012. Conclusions The rate of sodium reduction in the packaged food supply was not sustained following the end of the NSRI. Final FDA industry guidance can help turn attention back to prioritizing reducing sodium in the food supply. Funding Sources The NSRI Packaged Food Database was funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This research was supported by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Download Full-text

Where are the low-calorie sweeteners? An analysis of the presence and types of low-calorie sweeteners in packaged foods sold in Brazil from food labelling

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001700283x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (03) ◽

pp. 447-453 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Luiza dos Santos Figueiredo ◽

Tailane Scapin ◽

Ana Carolina Fernandes ◽

Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença

Keyword(s):

Food Group ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Food Groups ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Low Calorie ◽

Brazil Current ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Packaged Food ◽

Milk And Dairy Products

AbstractObjectiveStudies have shown that consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) may be associated with harmful health effects. The current study investigated the presence and types of LCS added to packaged foods.DesignCross-sectional study analysing the presence and types of LCS in the ingredients lists of packaged foods sold at a major Brazilian supermarket. To identify types of LCS allowed for use in foods in Brazil, current legislation was consulted. Data were organised and analysed through descriptive statistics, presenting simple and relative frequencies of LCS presence categorised by food group.SettingSupermarket in Florianópolis, southern Brazil.SubjectsPackaged food products (n4539) from eight food groups.ResultsOne or more LCS were found in 602 (13·3 %) of the packaged foods analysed. There were 1329 citations of LCS among these foods, with a mean of 2·2 sweeteners per food. Groups with the highest frequency of foods containing LCS were: products with energy derived from carbohydrates and fats (25·0 %); milk and dairy products (11·7 %); bakery products, cereals, legumes, roots and tubers (11·2 %); and fruits, juices, nectars and fruit drinks (8·3 %).ConclusionsThere was high prevalence of packaged foods with LCS, especially in food groups that form the basis of the Brazilian diet. The study was the first to extensively analyse the presence and types of LCS in packaged foods available for sale in a Brazilian supermarket and can be useful to monitor the use of LCS in these foods, as well as to support future changes in legislation to label sugars.

Download Full-text