| dc.description.abstract | Since 2008, Ecuador has recognized health as a right in its Constitution, so that safe and
permanent access to healthy, sufficient and nutritious food is one of the fundamental
pillars that ensure adequate health. Currently, the common consumption of processed
foods such as salty snacks may be related to the development of chronic noncommunicable diseases such as overweight and obesity, as these products have a poor
nutritional quality where the high fat and sodium content stands out. NTE-INEN 022,
NTE INEN 1334-(1,2 and 3) regulations have been implemented to guide the consumer
on the nutritional quality of the product to be purchased, which indicate the requirements,
quantities and nutritional and health claims that products should have.
The objective of the study was to analyze the components of labelling, nutritional, health
and promotional claims of the salted snacks sold in supermarkets in the city of Cuenca,
on the basis of the Ecuadorian labelling regulations for processed food for human
consumption.
An observational descriptive study was carried out to evaluate the labelling of 160 salted
snacks sold in supermarkets in the city of Cuenca, collecting the information in a data
collection form.
The results indicated that the most popular salted snacks are those that include agricultural
products (cereals and tubers), mainly national and have bar code in their entirety. Most
of the products were found to have traffic light labelling, and to be in the format of the
nutritional framework. The products show low sugar values, but higher salt and especially
fat. High compliance with the regulations established in the Ecuadorian Technical
Standard NTE-INEN 1334-1,2 and 3, Mainly the dietary fiber did not fully comply with
the indications. Environmental, health and nutrient content claims were the most
frequently presented on product labels, while promotional strategies and offers in general
were scarce. | |
