National Policy Response

Food reformulation policies

Sodium

Voluntary targets set for 2012 to 2020, applied to 32 categories (passed in Apr 2011, Dec 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017) 

Fat

No targets

Sugar

No targets

Other relevant packaged food policies

Front-of-Package Labeling Regulations

Trans Fatty Acid Regulations 

Fiscal Policies

Decree nº 11.158, passed in 2022. Different rates apply to various categories of processed foods and beverages, including a 3.25% tax on specific food items such as sugars, candies, and sugar-sweetened beverages 

Packaged Food Sampling

2017

Nutrient types Sodium
Products sampled 3,336

Methods

Data on sodium content were obtained mainly from the official websites of food companies registered with the Brazilian Association of Food Industries, whose products comprise 70% of all processed food on the market. Any nutritional information that was not available on company websites was collected through the companies’ customer services. Baseline and follow-up data for each product included the manufacturer, brand and product name, as well as the sodium content per 100 g of food.

Products were classified into 20 food categories. The mean and median sodium content (mg per 100 g) of all food categories, along with their standard deviation and minimum and maximum values are reported for 2011, 2013–2014 and 2017.

For more information on the study methodology, please see the data source below.

Data source

Sodium Reduction in Processed Foods in Brazil: Analysis of Food Categories and Voluntary Targets from 2011 to 2017

Citation: Nilson EAF, Spaniol AM, Gonçalves VSS, et al. Sodium Reduction in Processed Foods in Brazil: Analysis of Food Categories and Voluntary Targets from 2011 to 2017. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):742. Published 2017 Jul 12. doi:10.3390/nu9070742

Contact

Dr. Eduardo Nilson
Researcher, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz)
Brasilia, Brazil
[email protected]

Institution leading data collection

Brazilian Association of Food Industries (ABIA)
Researcher, Nutritional Technology Laboratory, Health and Nutrition Unit

2016

Nutrient types Sodium
Products sampled
1,353

Methods

Data on packaged food in Brazil was obtained between the years 2015-2015 by research teams from the Latin American Network of Food Composition Data System (LATINFOODS) as part of a larger study from 14 participating countries: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. Samples were collected from the grocery stores with the greatest market share in each country; nutrition labels were photographed for content.

Mean, median, standard deviation, interquartile range and minimum and maximum levels were calculated for sodium content (mg/100g) in each of 12 food categories and were used for comparison with the regional target level for sodium.

Data source

Sodium Levels in Packaged Foods Sold in 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries: A Food Label Analysis

Citation: Arcand J, Blanco-Metzler A, Benavides Aguilar K, L’Abbe MR, Legetic B. Sodium Levels in Packaged Foods Sold in 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries: A Food Label Analysis. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):369. Published 2019 Feb 11. doi:10.3390/nu11020369

Contact

Dra. Johana Ortiz, PhD
Professor, University of Cuenca
[email protected]

Institution leading data collection

Latin American Network of Food Composition Data System (LATINFOODS)