1 hr ago
Doctors Warn Consumers About Misleading Food Labels and Tampering
Food packets often use attractive words to make products seem healthier than they are.
The article says some consumers may not check the detailed information on the back.
The Supreme Court criticized delays in requiring clear front-of-pack warnings for foods high in sugar, salt or saturated fat.
In Navi Mumbai, officials said expired products were given new date stickers and sent back to stores.
Doctors say people should check the serving size, sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
They also recommend looking carefully at the ingredients and expiry dates.
A word like “natural” or “high-protein” does not mean the whole product is healthy.
Damaged packages or stickers covering old information may be warning signs.
Reading the full label can help shoppers make safer choices.
The Supreme Court criticized the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India over delays in introducing front-of-pack warning labels.
Officials in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, alleged that expired food products were given new date stickers and repackaged for sale.
Thousands of cartons, including Maggi noodles, Lay’s and Kurkure, were seized, with cases registered under food-safety and forgery provisions.
Doctors advised consumers to check serving sizes, sugar, sodium, saturated fat, ingredients, dates and suspicious packaging.
Experts warned that health-focused claims such as “natural” or “high-protein” can create a misleading health halo.
- Who
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the Supreme Court of India, Maharashtra food officials led by Tukaram Mundhe, and three doctors are central to the report.
- What
- The report examines delayed food-warning labels and an alleged scheme to replace expired product dates, while offering advice for spotting misleading labels.
- Where
- The regulatory dispute concerns India, while the alleged date-tampering operation was uncovered in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- When
- The Supreme Court action occurred earlier this year, and the Turbhe investigation occurred around the same time.
- Why
- Clearer and genuine labeling is needed so consumers can identify unhealthy or potentially unsafe products and make informed choices.
Key facts
- Regulatory issue
- The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over delays in introducing front-of-pack warning labels.
- Warning-label focus
- The proposed warnings concern excess sugar, salt or saturated fat.
- Investigation location
- A facility in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, was investigated by Maharashtra food officials.
- Alleged practice
- Expired manufacturing and use-by dates were allegedly erased or covered with fresh stickers.
- Seized products
- Thousands of cartons, including Maggi noodles, Lay’s and Kurkure, were seized.
- Recommended checks
- Consumers should inspect serving size, added sugar, sodium, saturated fat, ingredients, dates and packaging.
Quotes
Dr Nidhi Malhotra
Director of Endocrinology and Diabetes who explains how health-focused marketing can mislead consumers.
“Once that information is altered or hidden, consumers lose any real ability to judge what they're actually buying and label tampering is just as concerning, since it can stop people from spotting substances they specifically need to avoid”
livemint.com
“Do not stop at the front of the pack. Turn it around, check the serving size, added sugar, sodium and saturated fat, and be alert to overwritten dates, oddly placed stickers or packaging that looks tampered with”
livemint.com
Sources
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