TEHRAN -- The Food and Drug Administration of Iran (FDAI) will launch a system on TTAC (Track-n-Trace and Authentication Control) application through which users can check authenticity of food products, an official with FDAI announced, Tasnim reported on Saturday.

The application, which was previously used for medicine, provides several services. Along with scanning the barcode and Checking UID, users have the possibility to check the scratch-code installed on the item in the system for authenticating. It is also possible to obtain information about certain drugs using its name or ATC code.

In reporting section of the application, consumers have access to further information about the product.

The application also provides a facility for shoppers to know more about smuggling of food products, he explained.

Since May 2017, Iranian manufactures are required to include ‘traffic light’ labels on food packaging to signify the fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt content of the food stuff by the end of summer.

The food items have been tagged with the traffic light labels to help consumers to make healthier choices considering the amounts of unhealthy substances in food items.

The color-coded food labels are intended to help shoppers know at a glance whether a product contains a low, medium or high amount of fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories and make choices for a more healthier and balanced diet.

In December 2018, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences announced that obesity and overweight have grown 5.5 folds over the past four decades in Iran.

Studies show that salt intake of Iranians amounts to 10.6 germs a day which almost doubles global standards.

Unhealthy dietary habits are the key deriver behind developing non-communicable diseases and switching from healthy traditional food to fast foods which contain high amounts of fat and sodium and low fiber are the causes of such disorders.

SB/MG