- Context: The Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2020 permit manufacturers to add sucrose and fructose, subject to a combined limit of 20% of carbohydrates, in products intended for infants aged 0–6 months. FSSAI has proposed removing this allowance.
- WHO recommendation: Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by nutritionally adequate complementary foods, with no added sugars up to 24 months.
- Industry concerns: Manufacturers cite compliance with the Codex Alimentarius, while public health experts describe the use of added sugar in infant foods as “nutritional dumping”—providing nutritionally undesirable products to vulnerable populations.
- Commercial incentives: Added sugar acts as a cheap bulking agent, improves taste and may encourage repeat purchases.
Why Added Sugar in Infant Foods Is a Concern
- Long-term taste preferences: Research indicates that sweetened water during infancy can increase later preference for sweeter drinks, while early exposure to different formula flavours may influence dietary preferences years later, including preferences for neutral- or bitter-tasting foods.
- Nutritional quality: WHO’s 2022 Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model for foods for infants and young children raised concerns about sweet purées and products in which processing releases sugars from fruits.
- Dietary diversity: Exposure to diverse flavours during early childhood can help develop varied food preferences rather than a strong preference for sweetness.
Gaps in the Proposed Regulation
- Limited age coverage: The proposed restriction focuses on the first six months, whereas the ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition’s 2024 dietary guidelines recommend avoiding added sugars in children below two years.
- Ingredient substitution: Restricting only sucrose and fructose could encourage manufacturers to replace them with other sweetening ingredients.
- Need for comprehensive regulation: FSSAI should assess both ingredients added during manufacturing and the nutritional profile of the finished product, extending restrictions to all added sugars throughout the first 24 months.
Relevant Laws and Institutions
- Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods Act, 1992: Regulates the production, supply and distribution of infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods, with strict restrictions on their promotion and advertising to protect breastfeeding and infant nutrition.
- FSSAI: Statutory food-safety regulator established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; lays down science-based food standards and regulates food manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import.
- Codex Alimentarius: International collection of food standards, guidelines and codes of practice developed by the FAO and WHO through the Codex Alimentarius Commission. It aims to protect consumer health and promote fair practices in food trade; it does not replace India’s domestic regulations.
Way Forward
- Expand restrictions: Cover all forms of added sugars in infant foods and extend the restriction to children below 24 months.
- Front-of-pack labelling: Introduce mandatory, interpretative labels on packaged foods to help consumers identify excessive sugar and other nutrients of concern.
- Broader food regulation: Alongside infant-food rules, India is considering measures concerning unhealthy foods around schools and front-of-pack labelling for packaged foods. These measures can strengthen efforts to address the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods.
