New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new limits to identify foods high in added fat, sugar and sodium, as part of efforts to promote healthier food choices for children in schools.
The proposal is part of a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020, published in the Gazette of India.
Under the proposed rules, solid foods containing more than 4.2 grams of added fat per 100 grams would be classified as high in added fat. For liquid products, the limit would be more than 1.5 grams per 100 ml.
For added sugar, the proposed threshold is more than 3 grams per 100 grams for solid foods and more than 2 grams per 100 ml for liquids.
The draft also sets limits for sodium. A solid food would fall under the high-sodium category if it contains more than 0.625 grams of salt per 100 grams. For liquid products, the proposed limit is more than 0.175 grams per 100 ml.
The benchmarks are based on the Indian Council of Medical Research’s Dietary Guidelines for Indians-2024.
FSSAI has proposed inserting the new provision after the existing regulation covering monitoring and surveillance in schools. The draft has been prepared under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with the prior approval of the Central government.
The regulator has invited comments and objections from the public and other stakeholders. Submissions can be made within 60 days from the date the draft notification is made available in the Gazette.
FSSAI said that the representations received during this period will be examined before the regulations are finalised.
