Cerelac, an instant cereal mix, is Nestle’s biggest seller in the Philippines, offering convenience and affordable prices, a key factor in the rising cost of living.
A quick search on social media reveals many ambitious moms with their smiling babies extolling the benefits of the formula, including that it contains some of the most important nutrients that growing children need.
But while the product will be instantly recognizable to parents around the world, the ingredients in it may not be so recognizable.
That’s because, along with the benefits of extra micronutrients that Cerelac offers parents in the Philippines and the UK, some flavors in Southeast Asia offer something else: added sugar.
This, in a country where parents are increasingly shifting away from traditional foods and toward convenience foods, is a concern for health professionals.
In the Philippines, Nestlé says it adheres to the standards and recommendations of the Codex Commission, a collegial body established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which includes food producers, governments and UN agencies.
“The sugar content of our products is well below the thresholds set by international and local regulations, which are always enforced by the FDA, who adhere to the Code, and who are experts in this area,” said Arlene Tan-Bantoto, chief executive officer of Nestlé Nutrition.
A UNICEF study that analyzed 1,600 baby foods in Southeast Asia found that almost half of them contained sugar and sweeteners.
According to Ms. Tan-Bantoto, there is a simple explanation for why they are needed in Cerelac: to mask the taste of important nutrients such as iron, which has a metallic flavor, and the brain nutrient DHA, which smells like fish.
“Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in the country and we are making serious efforts to address them,” said Ms. Tan-Bantoto, “Ninety-seven percent of infants do not meet their daily nutrient requirements, and 40% of children aged zero to five suffer from iron deficiency anemia. And we know that anemia has lifelong consequences. For example, brain development, and then weak immunity, and 20% of children from birth to five years of age are stunted. This means that we are strengthening our products.”
“At the clinic in Manila, they see firsthand the impact of malnutrition on infants and young children on a regular basis – although as the diet changes, so does the appearance of the patients. “Sometimes they are underweight, sometimes they are overweight, and some are severely malnourished,” one of the doctors told the BBC.
It is impossible to say exactly why the number of overweight children has increased. There are many factors that contribute to the rise in obesity, including lifestyle changes and urbanization. But nutritionists argue that taste preferences are formed at an early age, and in some countries, such as the Philippines, many foods that satisfy the sweet tooth are consumed early.
That’s why adding sugar to products like Cerelac is such a concern, according to public health experts like Dr. Mianne Silvestre. The most popular flavor of Cerelac in the Philippines contains about 17.5 grams of total sugars per serving – more than four teaspoons of sugar – but this can include both natural and added sugars. Nestle says that in the Philippines, it has several options or flavors without added sugar as well as flavors with added sugar.
Nestle states that it recommends one serving of baby cereal daily along with a varied diet of fruits, vegetables, and meat daily. The company says this information is on the labels of its products, but promotional materials on e-commerce sites and its educational platform suggest meal plans with Cerelac products up to three times a day.
The Philippines’ regulatory push has some star power. The sister of the current president and daughter of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Imee Marcos is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit baby food manufacturers from adding sugar to their products.
Failure to comply with this requirement could result in a large fine, as well as imprisonment of manufacturers and sellers for a period of one to five years.
