1 hr ago
India Regulator Opens Door to Tougher Food Warning Labels
India is deciding whether packaged foods need stronger warning labels.
The labels would be red and shaped like hexagons.
They would warn people when food contains too much added sugar, salt or saturated fat.
The food regulator first suggested introducing the rules in two steps.
Health experts and activists said that plan would let too many products avoid warnings.
During a Supreme Court hearing, a judge questioned the two-step approach.
The regulator’s lawyer then said both steps might happen at the same time.
That could mean a warning appears when a food is high in even one of the three nutrients.
India’s government told the Supreme Court it was open to tougher red warning labels on food packaging.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India initially proposed labels for products exceeding limits in at least two of three categories.
The categories are added sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Justice J.B. Pardiwala questioned why the labeling plan required two phases and emphasized sugar and salt.
The regulator’s lawyer said the phases could potentially be introduced at once, covering products high in any one category.
- Who
- The Government of India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, health experts, activists and the Supreme Court of India.
- What
- The government said it was open to tougher red warning labels for packaged foods, potentially covering products high in any one of three nutrients.
- Where
- New Delhi, at the Supreme Court of India.
- When
- September 10, during a Thursday Supreme Court hearing.
- Why
- Activists have petitioned for stricter labeling to address public-health concerns about foods high in added sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Health Experts and Activists
Regulatory Proposal
How strict the threshold should be
Health Experts and Activists
Health experts and activists criticized the two-nutrient requirement as an “industry-friendly loophole” that could allow many products to escape scrutiny.
Regulatory Proposal
The FSSAI initially proposed warnings when products exceeded limits in at least two of the three categories: added sugar, salt or saturated fat.
How quickly rules should change
Health Experts and Activists
Activists have urged stricter labeling, and the Supreme Court has been hearing their pleas for months.
Regulatory Proposal
The FSSAI proposed a two-phased program but later indicated it could roll out both phases at once after the court’s questioning.
Key facts
- Regulator
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Proposed label
- A red-colored hexagonal warning label
- Nutrients covered
- Added sugar, salt and saturated fat
- Initial approach
- Labels for products exceeding limits in at least two of the three categories
- Possible revision
- The two phases could be introduced in one go
- Court figure
- Justice J.B. Pardiwala questioned the two-phased approach
- Industry at stake
- The article described India’s food industry as worth $100 billion
Quotes
Justice J.B. Pardiwala
Supreme Court justice questioning the government’s proposed food-labelling thresholds
“It has to be sugar and salt. Only then will you ask them to put a label?”
theprint.in
Sources
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