Question : Minimum Nutritional Standard for Packaged Food

(a) whether the Government has noted that majority of packaged/processed foods are unhealthy by nutritional standards and carry long-term risks of chronic illnesses, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government intends to set a minimum nutritional standard for the said food products to reduce the induced burden on health facilities and enhance the diet quality of the consumers, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken in this regard;
(c) whether the Government has conducted any study on the monitoring of quality of food in shops, their upgradation and nutritional quality in smaller cities and towns; and
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the official standards laid down to maintain the food quality index in small stores?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed that, all food articles, including packaged/processed foods, have to conform to the prescribed quality and safety standards laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules & Regulations.

Food Safety Officials of States/UTs carry out regular enforcement action, including in Shops and small stores in smaller cities/ towns, by way of surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products to ensure that the food products conform to the prescribed standards including quality and minimum nutritional standard for that particular product. In cases of non-conformance, action is taken under penal provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

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