I. RATIONALE
It is a policy of the State as embodied in Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. It is also stated under Section 12, Article XIII of the same document that an effective food and drug regulatory system shall be established and maintained to undertake appropriate health manpower development and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and problems.
It is further declared as a policy of the State under Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines to enforce compulsory labelling, and fair packaging to enable the consumer to obtain accurate information as to the nature, quality and quantity of the contents of consumer products and to facilitate comparison of the value of such products.
The Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) has been the nutrient-based dietary standard in the Philippines since 2002 and was evaluated and updated periodically to keep pace with the advances in energy and nutrient requirements. In 2015, the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the (DOST-FNRI) issued a set of dietary standards based on the recent and updated available information for the following: 1) Estimated Average Requirement (EAR); 2) Recommended Energy Intake/Recommended Nutrient Intake (REI/RNI); 3) Adequate Intake (AI); 4) Tolerable Upper Intake/Upper Limit (UL); and 5) Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR), which are now prescribed in the 2015 Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes (PDRI).
In line with these changes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shall use the new REI/RNI prescribed in the 2015 PDRI as the reference standard in nutrition labelling of processed food products, planning food fortification program, nutrition advocacy, and formulating laws, among others. The %REI/RNI shall be used in place of the 2002 RENI for Filipinos. The guidelines on the use of RENI for nutrition information on the label of processed foods are promulgated under Bureau Circular No. 16 s. 2005 which needs updating.
II. OBJECTIVES
This Circular aims to:
A. Adopt the 2015 PDRI % REI/RNI for use in food labelling and other pertinent guidelines and regulations of processed food products, and WHO recommendation for sodium limit; and;
B. Provide guidelines to all Food Business Operators (FBOs) on the use of % REI/RNI.
III. SCOPE
This Circular shall cover all prepackaged processed food products. Only the % REI/RNI and WHO recommendation for sodium limit is adopted excluding other set of dietary standards in the 2015 PDRI.
IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS
A. Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes (PDRI) is the collective term comprising reference value for energy and nutrient levels of intakes.
B. Recommended Energy/Nutrient Intake (REI/RNI) refers to level of intake of energy or nutrient which is considered adequate for the maintenance of health and well-being of healthy persons in the population.
V. GENERAL GUIDELINES
A. The 2015 PDRI on %REI/RNI is adopted and shall be used replacing %RENI in the regulation of all processed food products.
B. All previous issuances containing %RENI such as Bureau Circular No. 16 s.2005, Office Order No. 22 s. 1991, FDA Circular No. 2012-015 and other related issuances shall be replaced by % REI/RNI.
VI. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
A. Percent (%) REI/RNI shall be used in the nutrition information of prepackaged processed food products following the Recommended Energy/Nutrient Intake levels prescribed by FNRI in replacement of %RENI. Tables 2-4 (See Annex A) summarize the reference values for computing energy and nutrient levels in nutrition information.
B. The statement “Based on PDRI 2015” shall be used in the Nutrition Facts/ Nutrition Information of prepackaged processed food products.
C. Computation of energy and nutrient levels of products intended for general population shall be based on caloric requirements for male, 19-29 years old, and children, 6-9 years old if intended for children, unless specified for a specific age and/or sex group. The age group used as basis computation shall be declared below the Nutrition Information table.
D. Except for general population, when the product is intended for 2 or more age groups, age group with the highest values for energy and nutrients shall be used, i.e. products intended for 13-18 years old (13-15 and 16-18 y/o), recommended values for male, 16-18 years old shall be used.
E. Computation of iron level for general population shall be based on iron values for male, unless the product is intended for female, the iron values for female shall be used.
F. For the pupose of computation on the levels of fiber, 25 g based on the recommended range 20-25 g for adults and the upper boundary of the recommended range for children shall be used.
G. There is no RNI for Sodium thus, the recommended sodium limit shall be based on WHO Guideline on Sodium Intake for Adults and Children (2012).
VII. TRANSITORY PROVISION
Affected manufacturers, traders and distributors of processed food products distributed in the Philippines are given a transition period as follows:
A. Those granted CPRs expiring within a maximum of two (2) years from effectivity of this Order shall file initial application complying with this Order after the expiration of the original registration.
B. In cases where there are still existing stocks of labels on the current CPR and stocks may be still available by the time of filing of new CPR and its approval, exhaustion may be allowed within maximum of six (6) months. Inventory shall be submitted to the FDA.
VIII. REPEALING CLAUSE
The Bureau Circular No. 16 s. 2005 “Adopting the 2002 Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes as the New Dietary Standard”, and other FDA issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed accordingly.
IX. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE
If any provision of this Circular be declared as invalid or unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of the remaining portions or provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
X. EFFECTIVITY
This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation and upon filing with the University of the Philippines Law Center Office of the National Administrative Register.