Food regulator discusses standards for sweets and snacks
The decision to set these benchmarks or parameters was taken in a meeting that FSSAI held with prominent home-grown manufacturers like Haldiram, Bikanerwala and Balaji Wafers.Companies that stick to the prescribed limits can use the special ‘same taste, better health’ FSSAI logo. India’s favourite’s gulab jamun and samosa could soon get healthier to eat. Food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is working on setting thresholds for salt, sugar and fat for the ‘sweets and snacks’ category. These traditional namkeen’s and mithai’s fall under the ‘HFSS’ category or the ‘high fats, sugar and salt’ foods category.The decision to set these benchmarks or parameters was taken in a meeting that FSSAI held with prominent home-grown manufacturers like Haldiram’s, Bikanervala and Balaji Wafers, people aware of the development told CNBC-TV18..
FSSAI will look at setting the threshold for salt, sugar and fats for the HFSS category after a pan-India assessment of this space. Manufacturers will also have to take into account ingredient thresholds and parameters on use of cooking oil. FSSAI has also encouraged product development of alternatives of HFSS foods. Companies that stick to the prescribed limits can use the special ‘same taste, better health’ FSSAI logo. The application of these benchmarks or standards are not mandatory at this stage, said sources. These parameters for the ‘sweets and snacks’ category come at a time when the study for final ‘labelling and display’ regulations are underway.FSSAI’s draft ‘labelling and display’ regulations, issued in June 2019, say that consumer goods companies will have to declare nutritional information on front of the pack. Source.
