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India eyes ban on infant sugar, targets obesity risks
17 Oct
Summary
- India's food safety body proposes banning sucrose and fructose in infant food.
- The move aims to reduce infants' exposure to added sugars.
- This aims to combat rising childhood obesity rates in India.
India's food safety authority has put forth a proposal to prohibit the addition of sucrose and fructose to food products intended for infants aged up to six months. This initiative seeks to significantly decrease the intake of added sugars among the youngest population.
The proposed measure by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is specifically designed to address the growing concerns surrounding childhood obesity and its associated health implications. Current regulations permit lactose and glucose polymers as primary carbohydrate sources, with sucrose and fructose allowed only when necessary and within prescribed limits.
This development occurs within a context of intensified food safety scrutiny across India, impacting various food businesses. Activists and officials have expressed persistent worry over increasing obesity rates, particularly among children, with projections indicating a substantial rise in affected adults by 2050.
