Phase II of NOM-051 in Mexico, related to front-of-package labeling, became effective October 1, 2023 and will continue to be implemented until September 30, 2025.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this phase evaluates Phase I labeling guidelines for added caloric content. levels of nutrients, sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans fat added to processed foods and soft drinks.
However, NOM-051 Phase II includes changes to the mandatory levels of assessment and calculation of caloric value, sodium and sugar.
Also, Phase II will evaluate whether products require new thresholds for ingredients determined to be excessive.
Products determined to have excess calories, sodium and sugar may be subject to a new warning label or cautionary legend.
During Phase II, the amounts of calories, sodium, added sugars, saturated fat and trans fat in processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages will be reviewed.
Front Labeling
The guidelines for determining whether a product requires a warning sign or cautionary legend could become more stringent.
Changes to the Phase II guidelines are listed below.
- Excess Calorie Warning Sign: liquids in 100 ml of product greater than or equal to 70 kcal total or greater than or equal to 8 kcal of added sugars.
- Excess sugars warning signal: liquids in 100 ml of product greater than or equal to 10 percent of total calories from added sugars.
- Finally, warning signal for excess sodium: solids in 100 g of product greater than or equal to 300 mg. Non-alcoholic non-caloric beverages greater than or equal to 45 mg of sodium.
On March 27, 2020, Mexico’s Federal Register published updates to NOM-051, which establishes guidelines for new commercial warning and health information labels for processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.
Beginning with Phase I, which went into effect on October 1, 2020, processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages added mandatory front-of-package labels on products that exceed specific thresholds for excess calories, sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans fat.