Changes in the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in sweet foods and beverages after implementation of Law of Promoting Healthy Eating in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Introduction: The Law for the Promotion of Healthy Eating establishes that non-alcoholic food and beverages (F&B) with excess of critical nutrients must contain front-of-package warning labeling and in case of containing sweeteners and caffeine they must display a cautionary legend. The objective was to evaluate changes in the presence and types of non-nutritive sweeteners in sweet foods and beverages after the implementation of the PAS Law in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.<br /> Methodology: Data were collected on the content and type of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) from the packaging of sweets F&B in the main supermarket chains of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires in 2018/2019 and in 2023. Different non-parametric tests for matched samples were used to compare the frequency of F&B with NNS before and after the implementation of the regulation, the frequency of each NNS used by product category and changes in the number of NNS types between both periods.<br /> Results: Of the total number of sweets F&B surveyed (n=1823), a slight increase, although not significant, was found in the presence of ENN, from 26.9% to 27.6% (p=0.059). The beverage group was the only one with a significant increase (p<0.001). The most used additives, in both measurements, were acesulfame K (19.6% vs. 21.0%, p=0.001), aspartame (14.4% vs. 14.8%, p=0.169) and sucralose (11.4% vs. 12.0%, p=0.184). Of the 515 A&B with the presence of sweetener, 77.3% presented the cautionary legend.<br /> Conclusions: One year after the application of the regulation, the change in the amount of NNS in the sweets F&B was not significant, except for the beverages group. It is necessary to monitor the presence of NNS in sweets F&B to know how the Law will impact the reformulation of the food matrix in the coming years.