Portugal intends to adopt the "traffic light" labeling system of nutritional values for food products on the market. This was stated in a note by Mediterranea, the alliance between Confagricoltura and Union food, which supports a line clearly opposed to the topic.
"We are frankly surprised by the ordinance with which the Portuguese government announced the application of Nutriscore", declares Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Mediterranea.
With an ordinance, the Portuguese government instructed the General Directorate of National Health to define, within 120 days, the process for adopting the system, including the procedural process for economic operators and a dedicated communication campaign.
"This is not the first case of a Mediterranean Basin country expressing itself in favor of Nutriscore - adds Giansanti -.
We remember Spain, with the evident negative consequences for important agricultural production, primarily that of olive oil".
"We hope that the Portuguese government will retrace its steps. And we remain confident that the EU institutions - concludes the president of Mediterranea - will finally take a position by choosing a system of communication of nutritional values which does not only take into account the components, but which also refers to the balanced and responsible consumption, the underlying factor of the Mediterranean Diet".
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