NEW DELHI, Aug 29: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed the implementation of prominent front-of-pack warning labels in a red hexagonal shape for food products found to be high in added saturated fat, added sugar, and salt. This initiative aims to provide consumers with a clear and easily understandable warning regarding the nutritional content of packaged foods.
The Chenab Times has learned that the proposal was submitted to the Supreme Court as part of a compliance affidavit. The FSSAI detailed that these warning labels will indicate specific declarations such as “High Fat,” “High Sugar,” “High Salt,” and “Highly Sweetened Beverage,” allowing consumers to quickly identify products with elevated levels of these key nutrients. The thresholds for determining these levels are to be based on the “Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024,” published by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN).
Supreme Court’s Scrutiny on Health Warnings
The FSSAI’s affidavit was filed in response to a directive from the Supreme Court, which was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the charitable trust ‘3S and Our Health Society’. The petitioner had urged the court to direct the central government, states, and Union Territories to mandate front-of-package warning labels on all packaged foods. During a hearing on August 13, a bench comprising justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran had expressed strong dissatisfaction with the FSSAI’s pace in introducing such labels, questioning the government’s commitment to public health.
Phased Implementation and Exemptions
The proposed warning labels are intended to be displayed in a font size one point larger than the existing nutrition information table typically found on the back of food packaging. The FSSAI’s plan includes a phased implementation to ensure consumer acceptance and provide the industry with adequate time for product reformulation. Phase I of the implementation will focus on products high in two or more of the specified nutrients (added fat, added sugar, and salt) and specified sweetened beverages. Phase II will extend these warnings to products high in any single one of these nutrients.
Certain food products have been proposed for exemption from these front-of-pack warning requirements. These include single-ingredient food products and items that are naturally rich in fat, sugar, or salt. Examples of exempted items, subject to compliance with other labelling regulations, are ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery, and honey. The regulatory body believes this phased approach will foster informed food choices, especially among children and vulnerable populations.
Defining ‘High’ Nutritional Content
For the purposes of this proposed regulation, a food product will be classified as high in fat, sugar, and/or salt (HFSS) if, according to the thresholds outlined in the ‘Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024,’ it contains high levels in any two or more of the specified nutrients: added fat, added sugar, and salt. This information is to be presented in a distinct red hexagon graphic on the front of the product packaging.
The FSSAI stated that the notification of these requirements will be carried out through amendments to the relevant food safety and labelling regulations, following the prescribed procedural guidelines. The authority emphasized that this measure is designed to create an effective and consumer-friendly front-of-pack labelling system to assist individuals in making healthier dietary decisions.
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