,"On 7 January 2026, Portugal issued a notice amending several national food regulations covering fruit juices, fruit-based spreads, honey, and preserved dehydrated milk. A transitional period applies, allowing products that are placed on the market or labelled before 14 June 2026 in accordance with the previous legislation to continue to be sold until stocks are exhausted.
Under Decree No. 137/2025, which revises rules on fruit juices and similar products, Portugal introduces a new category of “reduced-sugar fruit juices”, including reduced-sugar fruit juice, reduced-sugar fruit juice made from concentrate, and reduced-sugar fruit juice concentrate. These products must contain at least 30% less naturally occurring sugars compared to the original juice, while maintaining the essential physical, chemical, sensory, and nutritional characteristics of the fruit. The decree also harmonises the designation of coconut water, restricting its use to liquid extracted directly from coconuts without pressing the flesh, and establishes a minimum Brix value of 4.5°.
Decree No. 133/2025, concerning jams, jellies, citrus preserves, chestnut purée, and other fruit-based spreads, increases minimum fruit content requirements. Standard jam must contain at least 450 g of fruit per 1 kg of finished product, while extra jam must contain at least 500 g per 1 kg. The decree simplifies labelling by removing the obligation to separately declare sugar content, which will instead be covered by the mandatory nutrition declaration. It also requires that specific product indications appear within the same field of vision as the sales name and be clearly legible. For citrus preserves, the decree sets a minimum content of 200 g of citrus ingredients per 1 kg, with at least 75 g derived from citrus pulp.
Under Decree No. 136/2025, amendments to honey regulations introduce mandatory country-of-origin labelling. Where honey originates from multiple countries, the countries must be listed in descending order by weight proportion, and for multi-origin honey, origin information must be displayed on the principal display panel to ensure clear consumer visibility.
Finally, Decree No. 134/2025 amends the rules on preserved dehydrated milk, allowing the reduction of lactose content through processes that convert lactose into glucose and galactose. The decree also requires labelling to clearly indicate any changes in milk composition resulting from such processing.
These amendments aim to enhance consumer transparency, modernise product definitions, and align national requirements with evolving market and nutritional practices, while providing industry with a defined transition period to achieve compliance."
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