The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s front-of-the-label warning for harmful ingredients in processed food and beverages is a welcome first step.

However, the decision -- delayed by over 10 years since the first draft was formulated -- might not achieve much because it will only cover less than 20% of the processed food market. Worse, the new warning will consider only added sugar, fat and salt, not the total content of these ingredients in the packet. Single ingredient food products naturally rich in fats, sugar and salt such as ghee and oil will be exempted from the warning labels.

The warning will apply only to products having two of the three nutrients above the threshold level as per the Indian Council of Medical Research Dietary Guidelines, 2024 in the first phase.

“FSSAI's red hexagonal warning label is a step forward, but the 'two or more' threshold is a massive loophole. A product with high sugar carries no warning if it is low in fat and salt. That is not public health; that is regulatory capture. Further, the definition of HFSS is critical to include total sugar and fats,” said Arun Gupta, one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court who pushed FSSAI to come out with the warning label.

In the second phase, FSSAI proposes to cover........

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