Dr. Rafael Urrialde
Rafael Urrialde, professor in the Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology at the Complutense University of Madrid and in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences at CEU–San Pablo University, president of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Society of Sports Medicine, secretary of the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, Honorary Academician of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Food Sciences, and Numerary Member and Governing Board Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (READ), denounces in the report “Nutri-Score Labels Under Academic Review: ‘It Does Not Consider All Food Components and It Contains Biases’”, published by El Diario Vasco on 16 October, the biases embedded in this food-rating system, warning that it fails to take into account all nutritional components.
For the expert, the Nutri-Score formula penalises certain nutrients or formats, such as dairy products or traditional ingredients, without adequately assessing other important factors, which may lead to misleading conclusions about a product’s actual health value. Although this labelling system was promoted as a tool to simplify nutritional information, its oversimplification can obscure essential nuances required for a balanced diet. The debate has intensified in Spain, where the system’s implementation remains voluntary and its final regulation is still pending. As an alternative, the academic proposes the use of labels with specific warnings about excessive consumption of certain components. “These warnings should focus on ingredients such as fats, sugar and salt,” he argues.
Meanwhile, the specialised platform 65ymás, for which Urrialde serves as president of its Health Expert Committee, features him in the report “Sugar Is Not Poison: Misinformation on Food Is a Health Threat”, published on 15 October, highlighting some conclusions from the study “Health, Food and Fake News”, produced by the Food Office of consultancy Llorente & Cuenca and Newtral with contributions from the academic and other leading experts in nutrition and dietary science. As the publication recalls, during the presentation of this document Urrialde again criticised the Nutri-Score model, calling it simplistic.
A recognised expert in food regulation, Urrialde is author and co-author of numerous scientific publications related to nutritional education. He has served as Head of Health and Food Safety at Puleva Food; Director of the Health and Food Department at the Consumers Union of Spain; technical coordinator of the journal Ciudadano; Director of Health and Nutrition at Coca-Cola Iberia; analytical technician at the Institute of Refrigeration of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC); and collaborator with the Chair of Plant Physiology at the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid.
