Key Update 

With a Supreme Court deadline for front-of-pack nutrition warning labels on packaged foods approaching, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is finalising rules for mandatory front-of-pack nutrition warning labels. Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPI), a public health think tank, has submitted a “Weightage Scale for Stakeholder Comments” to guide the process.

Prioritising Evidence Over Numbers

FSSAI must review over 14,000 public comments before submitting its recommendations. NAPI argues that quality and source of evidence—not sheer numbers—should drive decisions.n The proposed scale assigns weightage as follows:

• 9–10/10: Independent scientific research from ICMR, AIIMS, and peer-reviewed global studies.
• 8/10: Consumer rights groups, WHO, and UNICEF, reflecting public understanding.
• 3–4/10: Individuals and small enterprises, useful for implementation concerns.
• 0–2/10: Industry associations and food corporations, whose submissions often reflect vested interests.

Safeguarding Public Health

India faces rising obesity and diabetes linked to high-fat, high-sugar, and ultra-processed foods. Strong warning labels are seen as critical, but experts fear the policy could be diluted under industry pressure. “FSSAI can either empower millions of Indians to make informed choices or yield to corporate lobbying,” said Dr. Arun Gupta, NAPI convenor. “This framework ensures a transparent, defensible process that puts health first.”

Supreme Court Directive

The Supreme Court has ordered FSSAI to finalise regulations by mid-October. NAPI has urged the regulator to publish a report justifying its final decisions, demonstrating that they are based on science, ethics, and the public interest.

Source: The New Indian Express