Question : Study on Packaged Snacks and Fast Foods

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealing that several packaged snacks and fast foods sold in the country breach safe limits of salt and fat contents;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether similar exercise was carried out by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in the past, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the proposed Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations though under discussion since 2015 has not become a law as yet; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the said rules are likely to become a law?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (b): Yes. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed that Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study released recently has alleged that quantity of salt and fat in the samples tested were higher than the threshold limits proposed in the draft Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations. Out of total 33 samples tested, 19 are ‘prepared food’ samples where Front–of-Pack labelling is not applicable. As far as pre-packaged food items are concerned, the sample size (14 samples) is too small and cannot be considered as representative of pre-packaged food industry in the country. Therefore, the data published by CSE is inadequate to draw any final conclusion.
(c): FSSAI constituted an Expert Group on High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) products. The Report of the Expert Group, with its gist, has been uploaded on FSSAI website i.e. www.fssai.gov.in for the information of general public. The HFSS report is guideline document for all the stakeholders and the consumer in rationalizing the consumption of Fat, sugar and salt through processed food products and thereby help reduce the burden of chronic diseases in the Indian population.
Contd…….

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(d) to (e): FSSAI has notified draft Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2019 on 25th June, 2019 for inviting public comments. Around 900 comments were received. In addition, industry associations also raised concerns on the specified thresholds of salt, sugar and fat and requested to contextualise thresholds based on Indian scenario. Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has also requested FSSAI to constitute a Working Group to review the thresholds.
The concerned Scientific Panel deliberated upon the comments and recommended to constitute a Working Group and to initiate a study to obtain market validated, category wise baseline data for reviewing the thresholds. Accordingly, as per Scientific Panel’s recommendation, FSSAI has initiated a nutrient threshold study to assess the current Indian market scenario.
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