Food manufacturers warn vs. proposed nutrient profiling

The Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc. (PCFMI) has sounded the alarm over a proposed reclassification system, warning that its current iteration could effectively push most products off the shelves. 

The group cautioned that the Philippine Nutrient Profile Model (PNPM)—designed to combat rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and obesity—may have unintended economic consequences.

The PNPM, which was proposed and currently under review by the National Nutrition Council (NNC), aims to categorize packaged goods based on their levels of sugar, sodium, and fats. 

However, food manufacturing industry stakeholders fear the PNPM is set too strictly that consumers will be deterred from buying staple items.

"The current form of PNPM will displace food manufacturers nationwide... They will be out of the market… because people will not consume it," PCMFI executive director Mario Capanzana said at a press briefing in Taguig City on Wednesday.

According to data from the PCFMI, the proposed PNPM would impact 95% of commercial food products, which are likely to fail the proposed thresholds for front-of-pack labeling. 

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are also expected to face heavy financial burden due to labeling changes and regulatory hurdles.

During the briefing, Matt Kovac, CEO of Food Industry Asia, said the logistical demand due to the proposed nutrient profiling could overwhelm both businesses and government regulators.

"All companies, small, medium-sized enterprises, well, large companies would then have to change the label on absolutely everything. They would then have to register those products with the FDA," said Kovac.

Kovac added that the process requires "time and money and unique capabilities," expressing concern that the sheer volume of product changes would have an "extreme" impact on the FDA’s processing capacity.

Nevertheless, the PCFMI clarified that it does not oppose the concept of nutrient profiling.

"We are not against the nutrient profiling because it will help guide manufacturers in their reformulation, helping them come up with a good, healthier product that can be available to the consumer," Capanzana said.

The PCFMI is instead calling on the government to move away from a "one-size-fits-all" model. 

Capanzana suggested that the government recalibrate thresholds to be more realistic for various food types, align with global standards such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and utilize the Philippine National Standards to ensure the system is grounded in local and international context.

"We propose that we recalibrate it and consider some of the food categories, classify it according to maybe global standards," Capanzana said.

GMA News Online has requested comment from the National Nutrition Council on the matter, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. — VDV, GMA News