Executive Summary:
This document outlines regulations and measures taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding packaged food products. It addresses standardisation of serving sizes, enforcement of regulations, clearer labelling for nutritional values, and public education initiatives. The regulations and initiatives aim to promote informed consumer choices and dietary health.
Key Points / Main Content:
Serving Size and Labelling Regulations:
* FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, specify nutritional information requirements per 100g/100ml or single consumption pack, including percentage contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) based on a 2000kcal diet.
* Serving size is defined as the amount customarily consumed per eating occasion or as defined on the label, expressed in metric units and optionally in common household measures.
* Food Business Operators (FBOs) must comply with all applicable Food Safety and Standard Regulations.
Enforcement and Compliance:
* FSSAI, through State/UT Food Safety Departments and Regional Offices, conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspections, and random sampling to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
* Penal actions are taken against FBOs found in contravention of the regulations.
Public Education Initiatives:
* FSSAI is conducting a social media awareness campaign, "Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai," to promote label literacy.
* The campaign utilizes content, infographics, and videos to educate consumers on nutritional information, serving size, ingredient lists, allergen warnings, and date markings.
* Label awareness activities are conducted through display boards and street plays at exhibitions and fairs.
Impact Analysis:
Food Business Operators (FBOs):
Impact: FBOs are impacted by the need to adhere to standardised serving sizes and labelling requirements, as well as being subject to inspections and potential penalties for non-compliance.
Action Required: FBOs need to review and update their labelling practices to comply with FSSAI regulations and ensure accurate nutritional information is displayed.
Consumers:
Impact: Consumers are impacted by increased transparency in food labelling and public awareness campaigns. This will empower them to make more informed food choices, leading to improved dietary health.
Action Required: Consumers are encouraged to engage with the "Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai" campaign and other educational initiatives to understand food labels better.
State/UT Food Safety Departments and FSSAI Regional Offices:
Impact: These departments are responsible for enforcing the regulations and ensuring that FBOs comply with the standards.
Action Required: These departments must continue to conduct regular surveillance, monitoring, inspections, and random sampling of food products to ensure compliance with the regulations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): An autonomous body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 responsible for setting food standards and regulations in India.
Food Safety and Standards Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020: Regulations notified by FSSAI specifying requirements for food labelling and display, including nutritional information.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: An act of the Parliament of India to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Recommended Dietary Allowance: The levels of intake of essential nutrients that, on the basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by the FSSAI to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons.
HarLabelKuchKehtaHai: A social media awareness campaign by FSSAI to promote label literacy and inform consumers about nutritional information on food products.
State/UT Food Safety Departments: The state and union territory level departments responsible for enforcing food safety regulations and standards.
SHRIM K RAGHAVAN: The Member of Parliament who asked the unstarred question about packaged food products.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3361
TO BE ANSWERED ON8THAUGUST, 2025
PACKAGEDFOOD PRODUCTS
3361.SHRIM K RAGHAVAN:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether there are any existing regulations under FSSAI or any other body regarding the
standardisation of per-serving sizes inpackagedfood productsandif so, the detailsthereof;
(b) whether any measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to enforce such
regulationsstrictly andif so,the detailsthereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to mandate clearer labelling on packaged food items
regardingperserving nutritional valuestoavoidmisleadinginformation;
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to educate the general public
about serving sizes andtheirimportance inmaintainingdietaryhealth; and
(e) whether the Government is considering a consumer awareness campaign on interpreting
food labels, especially regarding serving sizes and daily nutrient limits and if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (c): The sub-regulation 5(3)(b) of Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display)
Regulations, 2020 notified by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) specified
that the nutritional information per 100g or 100ml or per single consumption pack of the
product and per serve percentage (%) contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowance
calculated on the basis of 2000kcal energy, 67 g total fat, 22g saturated fat, 2g trans fat, 50g
added sugar and 2000 mg of sodium (5g salt) requirement for average adult per day, shall be
given on the label. “serving or serve size” means an amount of food customarily consumed
per eating occasion oras defined on the label which is expressed inmetric unit. Additionally, it
may also be given in common household measures like tea spoon, table spoon, cup that isappropriate tothe food.
Further, Food Business Operators (FBOs) need to comply with all the applicable Food
Safety andStandardRegulations. FSSAI through the State/UTFood SafetyDepartments andits
Regional Offices,carriesout regularsurveillance,monitoring,inspections andrandom sampling
of food productstoensure compliance with the standards established underthe Food Safetyand
Standards (FSS) Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder. In cases where Food
Business Operators are found in contravention, penal actions are taken against the defaulting
FBOsasperFSSAct, 2006.
(d) & (e): FSSAIhastaken the following steps toeducategeneralpublic:
Social media awareness campaign, "HarLabelKuchKehtaHai" is being carried out to
empower citizenswith label literacyfor healthiereatingandinformed choices.
Through engaging contents, infographics and videos, the social media posts educate
consumers on key elements like nutritional information (calories, fats, sugars, protein,
serving size), ingredientlists, allergen warnings, anddate markings.
Label awareness activities (through Display Board, Nukkad Natak, etc) are also
conductedinvariousExhibitions(Like-IITF,AAHAR)andFairs(Like -FoodFestival,
EatRight Mela, etc).
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