News & numbers


“A positive food safety culture that prioritises people and gives everyone a stake in driving quality can have a transformative effect and help reduce the risk that comes from unsafe food.”


Neil Coole, director of food and retail supply chains, British Standards Institution FDA guidance on food labelling


The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidance to provide food manufacturers with recommendations on how and when to use its dietary guidance statements on labels of food products. The aim is to ensure the label statements promote good nutrition, provide greater consistency in labelling and assist consumers to make informed choices. The overall goal is to reduce chronic diseases and advance health equity through improved nutrition. “Diet-related chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the US and disproportionally impact communities of colour and people in rural areas,” said FDA commissioner Robert Califf. “The FDA is committed to being a part of the solution to improve the health of millions of Americans. [This] action is another step towards helping consumers make informed choices about the foods they eat.”


Current eating patterns in the US do not align with federal recommendations, which focus on the entirety of the diet and how foods and beverages work together to affect health. Dietary guidance statements in food labelling are based on key findings from consensus reports, such as the ‘Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025’. The statements may include symbols or pictures to convey that a food may contribute to or help maintain a nutritious dietary pattern. The agency is also focusing on additional nutrition and labelling priorities, including exploring a “front-of-pack” labelling initiative and recommendations for nutrition labelling for online grocery shopping sites. The FDA remains committed to doing its part in the all-of-government approach to improving nutrition, which can have a lasting generational impact on reducing chronic diseases and advancing health equity.


Low-carb diet for health benefits


Following a low-carbohydrate diet that is comprised primarily of plant-based foods has been significantly associated with a lower risk of premature death among people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It is the first prospective cohort study to examine the relationship between low-carbohydrate diet patterns and mortality among people with diagnosed type 2 diabetes. The researchers analysed 34 years of health data from 7,224 women participating in the nurses’ health study and 2,877 men participating in the health professionals follow-up study, all of whom developed type 2 diabetes after those studies began. The participants completed questionnaires on lifestyle and medical history every other year, allowing the researchers to assess the compositions of their diets and score according to their intake of animal proteins and fats,


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vegetable proteins and fats, high-quality carbohydrates and low-quality carbohydrates. The findings show a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality among those adhering to a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern. The health benefits were stronger for low-carbohydrate diets that emphasized plant-based foods and high-quality carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Those diets were also associated with a lower cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. Low- carbohydrate diets that emphasised animal products and low-quality carbohydrates, such as potatoes, added sugars, and refined grains, were not significantly associated with lower mortality. The researchers observed the strongest health benefits among people adhering to other healthy habits, such as not smoking, regularly exercising, and drinking alcohol in moderation, alongside a plant-based low- carbohydrate diet.


Clean, green living


The landmark EAT-Lancet report, published in 2019, laid out how to nourish people and save the planet through a “planetary health diet” that consists mostly of whole plant-based foods. But new research, published in the Lancet Planetary Health, suggests the planetary health diet does not provide enough essential vitamins and minerals to nourish the global population. The research, ‘Estimated micronutrient


shortfalls of the EAT–Lancet planetary health diet’, shows shortfalls in iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12. The researchers used new globally representative food composition data and recommendations for nutrient intakes, both of which were published after the original EAT-Lancet report. They also adjusted for how nutrients like iron and zinc are absorbed by bodies on different diets. This is evident when looking at women of reproductive age (15–49 years), who have increased iron requirements due to menstruation. The planetary health diet provides just 55% of the recommended iron intake for this population.


Ingredients Insight / www.ingredients-insight.com Shaking it off


A first-of-its-kind WHO global report on sodium intake reduction shows the world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025. The main source of sodium is table salt and it is known to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death when eaten in excess. The report found only 5% of WHO member states are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies and 73% of WHO member states lack the full range of implementation of such policies. Implementing cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated seven million lives globally by 2030. It is an important component of action to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goal of reducing deaths from noncommunicable diseases. But today, only nine countries have a comprehensive package of recommended policies to reduce sodium intake. WHO calls on member states to implement sodium intake reduction policies without delay in order to mitigate the harmful effects of excessive salt consumption. WHO also calls on food manufacturers to set ambitious sodium reduction targets in their products.


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