FSSAI mandates bold and large-print labels for salt, sugar, and fat on packaged foods

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved changes to nutritional information labeling on packaged food items, as mentioned in a report by PTI. The new regulations require that total salt, sugar, and saturated fat be displayed in bold letters and a larger font size.

In an official statement, FSSAI announced it has approved "a proposal to display nutritional information regarding total sugar, salt and saturated fat in bold letters and relatively increased font size on labels of packaged food items."

The amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, regarding nutritional information labeling was approved during the 44th meeting of the Food Authority, chaired by Apurva Chandra, Chairperson, FSSAI.

The amendment aims to empower consumers to better understand the nutritional value of the products they consume and make healthier decisions, according to the regulator. The draft notification for the amendment will be made public to invite suggestions and objections.

Information regarding per serve percentage (%) contribution to Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) will also be highlighted in bold letters for total sugar, total saturated fat, and sodium content. This aligns with Regulation 2 (v) and 5(3) of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulation, 2020, which specify requirements for indicating serving size and nutritional information on food product labels.