Economy Ministry Sets New Labeling Requirements

The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) last week published a regulation modifying the country’s labeling requirements for packaged foods.

The regulation, published in the official government daily La Gaceta May 23, requires packaged food labels to include any and all ingredients that may cause allergic reactions, including grains containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, oats, and barley, as well as fish, peanuts, milk, eggs, nuts and any products containing these ingredients.

Mentioning them on the label is necessary even if it merely forms part of a compound ingredient, or is not an ingredient per se, but could be present unintentionally in the product.

“This information is important to have on food labels so that consumers can watch over their own health,’’ said a statement from the ministry.

The regulation, along with two others that establish standards for margarine and cauliflower, are available in Spanish at the Web page www.reglatec.go.cr.