Browsing by Author "Reyes, Marcela"
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Publication Food additives in Latin America: a descriptive analysis of the packaged food supply in five countries(2025) Zancheta, Camila; Grilo, Mariana; Ayala, Salvador; Duran, Ana; Canella, Daniela; Mora, Mercedes; Ulloa, Victoria; Tolentino, Lizbeth; Reyes, Marcela; Corvalan, CamilaBackground: Latin America is distinguished by diverse regulatory frameworks and evolving dietary patterns, including the weakening of traditional diets and the increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Predominantly produced by transnational corporations, UPFs rely heavily on food additives to achieve desirable sensory properties (e.g., flavor, color), ensure food safety, and extend shelf life. Over the past decade, research has increasingly shown that higher consumption of UPFs is associated with poor health outcomes, and food additives have emerged as a potential mechanism underlying this association. However, few studies have systematically analyzed the presence of food additives in the food supply. This study aimed to assess the distribution and patterns of food additives in packaged foods from five Latin American countries. Methods: Data were obtained from packaged foods and beverages sold in supermarkets in Brazil (2017; n = 9,673), Mexico (2017; n = 15,846), Chile (2018; n = 13,913), Colombia (2018; n = 8,282), and Ecuador (2019; n = 2,083). We used the list of ingredients to search for food additives described in the Codex Alimentarius. We assessed the prevalence of specific food additives, categorized their functional classes, and applied exploratory factor analysis to identify patterns of food additive use, overall and in each country. Results: Food additives were present in over 75% of the studied products, ranging from 76.1% in Colombia to 84.0% in Ecuador. Food categories with the highest prevalence of additives (> 90%) included confectionery, dairy products, bakery items, and meat products. Most products contained two or more additives (64.3%); nearly 10% contained ten or more. We observed consistent results on the most used additives (i.e., flavorings, citric acid, phosphates, and lecithin) and patterns of food additives used across countries, although differences were observed in the use of specific additives, particularly low-calorie sweeteners and colorings. Conclusion: Food additives are widely used in the packaged food supply of Latin American countries, and variations in the use of specific food additives likely reflect differences in regulatory frameworks, industry practices, and consumer preferences across countries. Given the increasing concern about the potential health effects of food additives, there is an urgent need to strengthen monitoring efforts and further investigate population-level exposures and associated health outcomes.Item Situación epidemiológica de la Hepatitis C en Chile entre 2002-2017(2022) Ramírez, Francisca; Nicolai, Juan; Reyes, Marcela; Martí, MatíasIntroducción: La hepatitis C es una enfermedad infecciosa causada por el Virus Hepatitis C. Si bien ha existido una disminución progresiva de su incidencia a nivel mundial, tiene relevancia dado su cronicidad y posibles complicaciones. Objetivo: Describir la situación epidemiológica de la hepatitis C en Chile, en cuanto a tasas de egreso y mortalidad. Metodología: Se realizó un análisis descriptivo cuantitativo de los egresos y mortalidad en Chile, a partir de registros del Departamento de Estadística e Información de Salud del Ministerio de Salud de Chile, entre los años 2002 y 2017. Resultado: En el año 2017 hubo un total de 11 egresos y 20 defunciones por hepatitis C en Chile. Las tasas de egreso muestran una tendencia a la disminución en el tiempo, con predominio del sexo masculino y una mayor tasa en la región de Valparaíso. Con respecto a las tasas de mortalidad, se observa una tendencia a la disminución en el tiempo, mayores tasas en la Región Metropolitana y en el sexo masculino. DISCUSIÓN: La disminución de los egresos como de la mortalidad se correlacionan con la baja prevalencia de factores de riesgo en Chile, como el uso de drogas endovenosas y los asociados a la atención en salud. Se asocia además al aumento de tasas de notificación y nuevas líneas de tratamiento. Conclusión: La hepatitis C es una patología de baja prevalencia en el país, sin embargo, se debe considerar el posible subdiagnóstico dada la falta de estudios masivos de prevalencia y programas de búsqueda activa.