New Delhi: Amid growing concern over the rise of availability of ultra-processed food — high in sugar, salt and fat — in the country, apex food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Saturday approved a proposal to display the information related to ‘nutrients of concern’ in bold letters and also relatively increased font sizes on the labels of packaged food items. The decision to approve the amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, regarding nutritional information labelling was taken in the FSSAI’s 44th meeting. The amendment aims to empower consumers to better understand the nutritional value of the product they are consuming and make healthier decisions, it said in a statement.
The draft notification for the amendment would now be put in the public domain for inviting suggestions and objections. The information regarding per serve percentage (%) contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) would also be given in bold letters for total sugar, total saturated fat and sodium content. As per the regulator, regulation 2 (v) and 5(3) of FSS (labelling and display) regulation, 2020, specifies requirements to mention serving size and nutritional information on the food product label, respectively.
Along with empowering consumers to make healthier choices, the amendment would also contribute towards efforts to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote public health and wel.