Parliament Question: Ultra-processed foods warning

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.2052 TO BE ANSWERED ON10th MARCH, 2026 ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS WARNING 2052. SHRIAYODHYARAMIREDDYALLA: Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) the details of effective regulatory frameworks Government would contemplate to address the proliferation of ultra-processed foods, balancing the need to protect public health with the economic interests of the food industry and the preferences of consumers; and (b) the potential implications of the ultra-processed foods warning on global food systems and trade policies, particularly in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the growing demand for sustainable and healthy food options? ANSWER THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) and (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 (FSS) Act, 2006isa shared responsibility between the Central andStateGovernments. FoodSafetyandStandards(FoodProductsStandardsandFoodAdditives) Regulation, 2011, prescribes the standards of food products including processed food. In order to enable consumers to make informed choices while selecting the food articles,FSSAI has specified the mention of nutritional information on the labels of processed food w.r.t salt, sugar and fat through the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations,2020. The Food Business Operators are required to adhere with the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, rules and regulations including the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. FSSAI through its regional offices andStates/UTs food safety departments, conductssurveillance,inspection, monitoring and random sampling to check & verify compliance with the standards & requirements laid down under the FSS Act, 2006 & regulations made thereunder. In case where the food samples are found to be non-conforming, penal action has been initiated against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per provisions of FSS Act, 2006 rules and regulations made thereunder. FSSAI aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily promoting Good Health and Responsible Consumption through its 'Eat Right India' movement. 'Eat Right India' movement aims to inculcate healthy eating habits among consumers. This initiative is built on three core pillars - Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Sustainable. It is a collective effort of all stakeholders to transform the food ecosystem of the country with a tagline ‘SahiBhojanBehtar Jeevan’. FSSAI has undertaken awareness measure called 'Aaj se Thoda Kam' to address the adverse effects of consuming foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. It encourages consumers to gradually reduce their intake of fat, salt, and sugar through dietary modifications. Under this campaign, a series of short videos in English, Hindi, and different regional languages, accompanied by flyers, banners, and audio clips have been developed as useful guidance on graduallyreducingthe consumption of High Fat,Sugar,and Salt(HFSS)foods. FSSAI has also undertaken awareness campaign "Har Label Kuch Kehta Hai" under the ‘Eat Right India’ movement on social media to promote food safety consciousness and healthy eating habits across India. This awareness campaign focuses on empowering consumers tomake informeddietarychoices by enhancingtheirunderstanding of food labels. Food labels contain crucial information about a product's nutritional value, ingredients, and potentialallergens. *****