India’s top food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has formed a specialized committee to review and potentially revise regulations around sugar content in infant foods. This comes in the wake of global controversy surrounding Nestlé’s popular infant cereal, Cerelac, and its varying sugar content across markets.
Why the Review Now?
The move follows a report by Public Eye and IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network), which alleged that Nestlé adds sugar to Cerelac sold in India and several developing countries, while offering sugar-free versions in Europe and other developed markets. This has raised serious concerns about double standards in nutritional quality and potential long-term health impacts on infants.
What the Current Law Says
Under India’s current food safety regulations, added sugars like sucrose and fructose are allowed in infant food—but only if they are necessary as carbohydrate sources. Even then, the added sugar must not exceed 20% of the total carbohydrate content.
Nestlé Responds
Nestlé India has denied claims of unfair practices, asserting that:
- There is no difference in product formulation across countries.
- It has reduced sugar in Cerelac by up to 30% over the past five years.
- A “no refined sugar” variant has already been launched in India.
What Will the FSSAI Committee Do?
The newly formed FSSAI panel will:
- Review whether added sugar is essential in infant foods.
- Recommend acceptable limits or potential bans based on scientific data.
- Align Indian norms with global best practices and WHO guidelines on infant nutrition.
So far, no deadline has been set for the committee to submit its findings.
In summary:
FSSAI’s newly constituted panel will evaluate the necessity and permissible level of added sugar in infant foods, following scrutiny over Nestlé’s Cerelac—which faces criticism over potentially higher sugar content in developing markets. Nestlé maintains compliance and cites significant sugar reduction efforts.
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