Food promotion for children will be restricted in the first review of the esophageal law

The toxic starch scandal has prompted lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to speed up their review of the draft Food Sanitation Management Act, which is being overhauled. One of the articles on the law is about the promotion of food for children. It was initially approved that the promotion and advertising of foods that are likely to cause chronic diseases or are not suitable for long-term consumption by children can be restricted. But which foods meet this requirement? The Department of Health said it will convene an expert meeting to discuss the issue.

If children eat more fried chicken burgers from fast food companies because they have seen advertisements or received free gifts, this may lead to obesity in the long run. For a long time, there have been calls for restrictions. The Legislative Yuan's Health and Environment Committee passed a preliminary review today, which stipulates that promotion and advertising of special nutritional foods, foods that are likely to cause chronic diseases, or foods that are not suitable for long-term consumption by children may be restricted.

Kang Zhaozhou, director of the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health, said that it is necessary to invite experts in food, nutrition and other fields to discuss which types of food are needed and in what amounts may be detrimental to children's health. In the future, foods that are assessed to be unsuitable for long-term consumption by children will have restrictions on their promotional methods and will not be allowed to be advertised in children's programs or before meals.

In addition, the draft also requires that future food packaging labels list the percentage of the daily recommended amount of substances contained, so that people can have a clearer idea of ​​how much they should consume.