India to label food for high fat, sugar, and salt
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Rajit Punhani, CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), announced that India will soon require front-of-pack labels on food items to warn consumers about high levels of fat, sugar, and salt.
The FSSAI recently conducted inspections of food businesses, leading to license suspensions as both state authorities and consumers became more involved in food safety. Punhani explained the agency expects a court judgement soon, after which they will publish a draft notification requiring the labels.
Following the judgement, the FSSAI will give companies 60 days to prepare new labels, a process expected to take several months. Punhani stated that food manufacturers initially resisted the change, but now appear willing to comply. The FSSAI also addressed the issue of companies adding more sugar to products sold in India compared to Western markets, stating they follow international standards and are encouraging companies to reduce sugar content across all products.
Punhani noted increased consumer awareness has contributed to more effective enforcement of food safety regulations. The new labels will help consumers identify products high in unhealthy ingredients, and the FSSAI anticipates they will encourage companies to reformulate their products with less sugar, fat, and salt.
