Expert Panel Set Up To Review India’s Proposed New Packaged Food Labelling Rules

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has established a three-member panel after food firms expressed concerns regarding the packaging proposals. The draft regulations stated that packaged food manufacturers and firms will be required to declare nutritional information such as calories, total fat, trans-fat, total sugar and salt per serve, as well as per serve percentage contribution to the recommended dietary allowance. Other rules included a symbol on the label indicating whether it is veg or non-veg food.

Most importantly, it will be mandatory for food products with high fat and sugar content to display a red-coloured mark on the front pack. It also stated, “The food authority may introduce colour coding system in addition to marking foods as red within the specified thresholds from time to time.”

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Furthermore, HFSS food products will be prohibited from advertisement to children. However, Pawan Agarwal, FSSAI CEO said that the proposals would now be looked at again even though the draft has already been sent to the Health Ministry.

These rules were proposed to provide consumers with all the information necessary for them curb the menace of rising obesity and diabetes in the country.

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