**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the government's stance on recommendations from public health and nutrition experts concerning High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) and Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs). The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addresses concerns about labeling, marketing restrictions, and a comprehensive strategy to curb UPF consumption. The response references actions by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in relation to these issues. The date the response was due was 13th February 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **FSSAI Mandate and Responsibilities:**
* FSSAI is responsible for setting science-based standards for food articles.
* FSSAI regulates the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food to ensure safe and wholesome food availability.
* The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is a shared responsibility of the Central and State Governments.
* **Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020:**
* These regulations outline comprehensive provisions for pre-packaged food labeling.
* The regulations mandate comprehensive labeling requirements, which includes the name of the food, a detailed list of ingredients per 100g, 100ml, or per serving, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and nutritional information for energy, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugar, and sodium.
* **Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020:**
* These regulations outline responsibilities for school authorities to ensure safe and nutritious food availability on school premises.
* The regulations aims to promote balanced diets in and around school campuses.
* **Awareness Campaign:**
* FSSAI is undertaking the "#HarLabelKuchKehtaHai" campaign under the 'Eat Right India' movement.
* This aims to empower citizens with label literacy for informed choices.
* The campaign educates consumers on nutritional information, ingredient lists, allergen warnings, and date markings.
* **ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines:**
* The ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition advises that consumption of Foods High in Fats, Sugars and Salt (HFSS) foods should be minimized.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Consumers**
* **Impact:**
* Consumers will have increased access to detailed information about pre-packaged foods through improved labeling requirements.
* The awareness campaign is designed to improve their understanding of food labels and promote informed food choices.
* **Action Required:**
* Consumers should utilize the information provided on food labels to make healthier and more informed dietary choices.
* Consumers should participate in the "#HarLabelKuchKehtaHai" campaign to improve their understanding of nutritional information.
**Stakeholder: Food Manufacturers and Producers**
* **Impact:**
* Food manufacturers must adhere to the comprehensive labeling requirements outlined in the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
* **Action Required:**
* Manufacturers need to ensure that all pre-packaged food products comply with the labeling standards.
**Stakeholder: School Authorities**
* **Impact:**
* School authorities are responsible for ensuring the availability of safe and nutritious food in and around school campuses.
* **Action Required:**
* School authorities must adhere to the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020.
* Promote balanced diets among students and staff.
**Stakeholder: Central and State Governments**
* **Impact:**
* Shared responsibility for the implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
* **Action Required:**
* Coordinate efforts to effectively enforce food safety and labeling regulations.
Key Entities Referenced
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Mandated to lay down science-based standards for articles of food and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The act whose implementation and enforcement is a shared responsibility between the Central and State Governments.
Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020: Regulations notified by FSSAI that lay down comprehensive provisions relating to the labelling of pre-packaged foods.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The ministry responding to the parliamentary question on public health and nutrition.
National Think Tank on Nutrition (Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest): An entity that made recommendations regarding the classification of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFFS) and Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs).
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.2476
TO BE ANSWERED ON13THFEBRUARY, 2026
PUBLIC HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXPERTS
2476. SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of recent recommendations from public health and
nutritionexperts, including the National ThinkTankonNutrition (Nutrition AdvocacyinPublic
Interest), urging the classification of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFFS) and Ultra-Processed
Foods (UPFs) as ‘sin goods’ or demerit goods in view of their documented adverse health
impactsandif so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether the Government is considering a comprehensive National Strategy to curb UPF
consumption, including stronger front-of-pack labelling, restrictions on marketing to children,
reformulation guidelines and public-awareness campaigns and if so, the details thereof along
with the timeline fixedfor implementation?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay 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. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act,
2006isa shared responsibility betweenthe Central andStateGovernments.
FSSAI has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display)
Regulations, 2020 which lay down comprehensive provisions relating to the labelling of pre-
packaged foods. It mandates comprehensive labelling requirements to ensure consumers are
well-informed about the food products they purchase. These requirements include the name
of the food displayed on the front of the pack, a detailed list of ingredients per 100g, 100ml,
or per single serving, along with the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and a detailed
nutritional information for energy, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugar,
andsodium etc.FSSAI has also notified the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced
Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020 outlining the responsibilities of school
authorities toensure the availability of safe and nutritiousfood onschool premises while also
promotingbalanceddiets inandaroundschool campuses.
FSSAI has under taken awareness campaign “#HarLabelKuchKehtaHai" under the
‘Eat Right India’ movement to empower citizens with label literacy for informed choices. It
aimstoeducateconsumers on key elementslike nutritionalinformation(calories, fats, sugars,
protein,serving size), ingredient lists, allergenwarnings, anddate markings.
Further, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that according to
the ICMR- National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)’s Dietary Guidelines for Indians
(https://www.nin.res.in/dietaryguidelines/index.html), consumption of Foods High in Fats,
SugarsandSalt(HFSS) foods should be minimized.
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