FSSAI mandates bigger font, bold letters for nutrition labels on packaged foods
PTC News Desk: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) gave nod to a proposal to display nutritional information such as total sugar, salt, and saturated fat on packaged food labels in bold letters and with a relatively larger font size.
So far, food companies in India are only required to print basic nutrient information on the back of the package. However, globally, front-pack labelling has been shown to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods.
The FSSAI said in a statement on Saturday that the draft notification for the amendment would now be made available to the public for suggestions and objections.
As a result, food companies will need to provide information regarding per serve percentage contribution to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for sodium, total sugar, and total saturated fat in bold letters.
"Along with empowering consumers make healthier choices, the amendment would also contribute towards efforts to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote public health and well-being," the food regulator stated in its statement.
For several years, the FSSAI had been discussing regulations that would require packaged food companies to include nutritional information about their products on the front of the package. These would have been a significant reform, nudging companies and consumers to choose healthier options.
In a draft regulation for FOPL, the regulator proposed star ratings ranging from one to five to indicate how healthy food items are based on salt, sugar, and fat content.
Consumer organisations had insisted on traffic light labelling on the front of the pack, with red being the most unhealthy and green the least.
However, after several years of debate and stiff opposition from food companies, the proposal was put on the back burner.
- PTC NEWS
