In a first, the recommended level of sugar content in packaged foods and beverages could be introduced in India soon. The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has reportedly proposed new guidelines on the presence of sugar.
The limits could impact branded soft drinks, juices, cookies, ice-creams, and cereals, the Economic Times reported.
According to media reports, Many stakeholders from the packaged food industry are calling the move ‘impractical’ and they have raised concerns stating that the newly released norms demand changes to the formulation of many food products.
Some packaged food makers claim that they have already raised concerns that they were not consulted before the guidelines were issued.
Reportedly, the revised guidelines will replace an earlier set of norms that capped calorie thresholds for packaged food products and beverages. The guidelines have been revised after 13 years.
According to media reports, The committee has proposed that for solid food— “threshold for sugar has been calculated at approximately 5 per cent energy from added sugar, and not exceeding 10 per cent energy from total sugar”.
In the case of beverages, the “threshold for sugar has been calculated at approximately 10 per cent energy from added sugar, and not exceeding 30 per cent energy from total sugar (including naturally present sugar in fruit juices/milk, etc)”.
According to an ET report, packaged food companies are reportedly planning to make joint representations to ICMR and NIN within 10 days.
The development comes after concerns have been raised on increasing risks of diabetes and obesity.
Earlier this year, a probe by a Swiss NGO, Public Eye had claimed that two of the best-selling baby-food brands by Nestle in India and other lower-income countries contain high levels of added sugar, while they are sold sugar-free in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland among others.