MINISTRY
OF HEALTH
RESOLUTION
No. 1.212 EXEMPT
APPROVAL
FOR TECHNICAL STANDARDS ON SPECIFIC NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR DECLARING
HEALTHY PROPERTIES OF FOOD
Resolution
No.
1,212 exempt . Santiago, June 5, 1998
Having
had before me
The
following: the provisions under articles 4 b) and 8 of Decree Law No. 2,763, of
1978; articles 7 b) and 9 d) of decree No. 395, of 1979,, issued by the
Ministry of Health; what is stated in articles 106 a) and 114 of the Food
Sanitary Regulations, approved under Decree No. 977, of 1996, issued by the
same ministry; published in the Official Gazette on May 13, 1997; the
provisions contained in Resolution No. 520, of 1996, issued by the Office of
the Comptroller-General of the Republic; and
Whereas:
The change in the epidemiological profile of Chile in
the past twenty years has allowed a rising trend to be observed in the
prevalence of chronic non-transmissible diseases of adults, where lifestyles
associated with food and nutrition constitute one of the main risk factors;
Major diseases of this class in Chile associated to
food and nutrition problems include
cardiovascular diseases, obesity, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis,
and anemia;
The above list made it possible to define nutrients
and other associated substances as protectors or as risk factors for the
diseases listed;
Certain nutrients and food components help to protect
the health condition of the body;
As a result, and in agreement with the expert groups
consulted, the following messages serving as nutritional guidelines have been
drawn up regarding certain foods, declaring healthy properties in connection
with the following health problems, bearing which in mind, I hereby issue the
following
1 –The following technical standards on nutritional guidelines
for messages used to declare health-related properties, based on the
association among a food, a nutrient or other substance, and a health-related
condition.
(a) Saturated fats, cholesterol,
and cardiovascular diseases
Message framework
Among the numerous factors affecting cardiovascular
disease, diets low in saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and cholesterol, help
to reduce the risk of such diseases
Required Condition
The food should comply with conditions for these
descriptors: low total fat, low saturated fat, low cholesterol, and may not
contain more than 4% trans-fatty acids in total fat. If the food is meat, it should be extra lean.
(b) Total fat and cancer
Message framework
Cancer development
depends on many things. A low total fat diet might reduce risk for some
cancers.
Required Condition
The food should comply with conditions for the
descriptor: low fat. If the food is
meat, it should be extra lean.
(c) Calcium and osteoporosis
Message framework
Sustained physical activity and a healthy diet with sufficient calcium
help teenagers and adults, and young women to stay in good bone health, and can
reduce the risk of osteoporosis in persons over 60 years of age.
Required Condition
The food should comply with conditions for the
descriptor: high-calcium, i.e. it should contain 20% of more of the DRD per
serving, good bioavailability, and phosphorus content not exceeding calcium
content. Calcium/Phosphorus ratio: equal to or higher than one.
(d) Sodium and hypertension
Message framework
Development of hypertension
depends on many things. A low-salt diet
may help to reduce the risk of developing hypertension.
Required Condition
The food should comply with conditions for the
descriptor: low-sodium.
(e) Low-fat and
high-diet fiber diets, diet fiber being contained in fruit, vegetables, pulses,
whole cereals, and connection thereof with cancer
Message framework
Development of cancer is associated to numerous
factors. Low-fat and high-diet fiber diets, diet fiber being contained in
pulses, whole cereals, fruit, and vegetables may reduce the risk for some forms
of cancer.
Required Condition
The food should be or contain pulses, whole cereals,
fruit, or vegetables, and comply with conditions for these descriptors:
low-fat, non-fortified, and good source of diet fiber.
(f) Diet fiber and risk of cardiovascular
disease
Message
framework
Cardiovascular disease is associated
to numerous risk factors. Diets low in
saturated fats and cholesterol, and high in fruit, vegetables, pulses, and
whole cereals containing certain types
of diet fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may reduce risk for such disease.
Required Condition:
The food should be or contain pulses, whole cereals,
fruit, or vegetables, and comply with all requirements for these descriptors:
low saturated fat, low cholesterol, low total fat, non-fortified, containing at
least 0.6 grams of soluble fiber per serving.
(g) Fruit and vegetables and cancer
Message Framework:
Cancer is a disease associated to many risk
factors. Low-fat diets rich in fruit
and vegetables may reduce the risk for certain types of cancer.
Required Condition:
The food should be or contain fruit or vegetables, and
comply with the requirements for the descriptors: low fat, non-fortified, good
source of diet fiber or good source of vitamin A or good source of vitamin C.
(h) Nutritional anemia and iron
Message Framework
An adequate intake of bioavailable iron is the
principal factor in the prevention of nutritional anemia from iron deficiency.
Required Condition
The food should be high in bioavailable iron.
(i)
Folic acid and neural tube defects
Message Framework
Adequate intake of folic acid by a woman during the
pre-conception period and the first month of pregnancy has been associated to a
lower risk of neural tube defects and other congenital malformations.
Required Condition
The food should comply with the requirements of the
descriptor: high folic acid content.
(j)
Lactobacillus Spp., Bifidobacterium Spp., and other specific bacilli
and intestinal flora
Message Framework:
Daily consumption of milk and dairy products
containing such live bacilli helps to maintain intestinal flora balance.
Required Condition
Food to which the above live bacillus strains have
been added shall contain 100% of the amount of live bacilli declared on the
label at the end of the food´s shelf life
These
bacilli shall be resistant to hydrochloric acid in the stomach and other
secretions in the digestive tract.
The food shall not be contaminated
with pathogens.
(k)
Phytosterols, photostanols, and cardiovascular disease
Message Framework
Among the numerous factors affecting cardiovascular
disease, diets low in saturated fat, low cholesterol and trans-fatty acids, and
containing phytosterols and photostenols can contribute to reduce the risk of
such diseases.
Required Condition
The food or foods to which esters of phytosterol and
phytostanol in concentration such that an intake of two servings thereof a day
will ensure an intake of 1.3 grams or
more per day of esters of phytosterols or 3.4 grams per day of esters of phytostanols.
Esters shall be added as such dissolved in the
adequate medium or in microcapsules to ensure protection thereof, homogeneous
distribution in the food, and optimum bioavailability in the body.
If the natural fat content in the food is reduced,
such food shall comply with the requirements for low total fat and low
cholesterol.
If the food is the result of a process where fat is
added or restored in order to meet a certain minimum quantity, such food shall
comply with the requirements for low total fat, low saturated fat, and low
cholesterol, and shall contain not more than 4% trans-fatty acids in respect of total fat.
The above does not apply to food with high fat content
of vegetable origin used as salad dressings, or margarine containing not more
than 4% trans-fatty acids.
2. The above resolution shall become effective as of the
date of publication thereof in the Official Gazette.
To be recorded and published – Alex Figueroa Muñoz,
Minister of Health.
Which I hereby transcribe for your information. Yours truly, Fernando Muñoz Porras, Under
Secretary for Health.