USSEC participated in a seminar on nutrition labeling, claims and communications strategies in Indonesia.  Dady Maskar, USSEC Indonesia’s Food Program Manager attended this regional seminar that was recently held in Jakarta.

The objective of the seminar was to provide an update on international and regional developments in nutrition labeling, nutrition and health claims and related issues in Southeast Asia.  The seminar aimed to explore opportunities for harmonization of nutrition labeling and claims in Southeast Asia and to discuss the use of Front-of-Pack signposting schemes in the region.  Topics of discussion included how to identify opportunities and challenges related to the use of nutrition labeling and claims in communicating nutrition and health related messages.  Nutrition labels, as well as nutrition and health claims, are important tools to communicate the nutritional quality and health benefits of a food product to consumers.  They provide point-of-sale information to help consumers make informed choices.  In Southeast Asia, there is a wide disparity between label formats and permitted claims between countries which often causes confusion among consumers, resulting in trade barriers for food manufacturers and distributors.
The speakers at the seminar included government officials as well as regional and international experts.  Besides providing country-specific updates on nutrition labeling and claims regulations, the seminar provided a good opportunity for networking and interaction for food industry personnel, health professionals, regulatory officers from government departments and agencies as well as researchers and academia in the region.