Significant Update

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed red hexagonal warnings for foods high in fat, sugar and salt, giving consumers a clearer way to identify products containing high levels of nutrients of concern.

The proposal follows the Supreme Court’s direction to FSSAI to address concerns over unhealthy packaged foods. Excessive intake of these nutrients can contribute to lifestyle-related health conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Red Hexagons to Flag High-Risk Nutrients

FSSAI has proposed displaying information on added fat, added sugar and salt in pictorial form on the front of food packages. The red hexagonal labels would carry declarations such as “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SUGAR”, “HIGH SALT” and/or “HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE”, as applicable.

The regulator also proposed displaying these warnings in a font size larger than the nutrition information table on the back of the pack. FSSAI has proposed exemptions for single-ingredient foods and products inherently high in fat, sugar or salt, including ghee, edible oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey. These products would still have to meet other applicable food safety and labelling requirements.

FSSAI Proposes Two-Phase Rollout

FSSAI plans to introduce the warning system in phases to improve consumer acceptance and give food manufacturers time to reformulate products. Phase I would cover products high in two or more specified nutrients, along with specified sweetened beverages. Phase II would extend the warnings to products high in any one of the specified nutrients.

ICMR-NIN Guidelines to Set Thresholds

FSSAI has proposed using the nutrient-of-concern thresholds in the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, issued by ICMR-NIN, to determine which products qualify for a warning. During Phase I, manufacturers would need to display the applicable front-of-pack warning on products that exceed the prescribed thresholds for any two or more of the specified nutrients.

Source: NDTV