Food

Food labelling guidelines likely to be updated in next four months: FSSAI

The FSSAI is also looking at what regulatory structure is required for claim verification

 
By Karnika Bahuguna
Published: Friday 16 December 2016
The FSSAI is working on updating labelling guidelines, including mandatory nutrition labelling requirement. Credit: CSE

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is working on updating labelling guidelines which will include mandatory nutrition labelling requirement for sodium, added sugar, saturated fats and trans fats, Pawan Agarwal, chief executive officer, said today (December 16). The guidelines are likely to be finalised in three to four months.

Agarwal was speaking at the 'Food Talk' workshop and public meeting on labelling, claims and advertisements organised by non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).  

Following a presentation by  the CSE Director General Sunita Narain who highlighted weak regulatory framework and advocated strenghtening of labelling laws, Agarwal said the apex food regulator was working on revising the guidelines.  

The discussion is on whether it should be declared per serving or per 100 grams/mililitre.

"We are also looking at what regulatory structure is required for claim verification," he said. Agarwal added that front-of-pack labelling was also given an in-principle nod by the regulator.   

Besides working on labelling, the regulator is engaging with the Central Board of Secondary Education, schools and educational organisations to work on nutrition education and a plan will be rolled out soon, he added.

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