Food Labels

Food as Medicine: Dr. V. Mohan on the Economic and Health Impact of Pistachio-Based Diabetes Prevention

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Everyday foods that trigger inflammation-and what to eat in their place

Experts share which everyday foods might be silently inflaming your body and the anti-inflammatory superfoods you should add to your diet

FSSAI bans use of '100%' on food labels, says term misleads consumers

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a strong advisory against the use of the term "100%" in food labelling, citing concerns over its potential to mislead consumers. The apex food regulator, in a statement, said it has asked all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to refrain from using the term on food labels, packaging, and promotional content, owing to its ambiguity and potential for misinterpretation within the existing regulatory provisions. In the advisory issued on Thursday, FSSAI highlighted a noticeable surge in the use of the term "100%" across food product labels and promotional platforms. The Authority emphasised that such terminology is not only undefined under current regulations but also misleading and likely to create a false impression among consumers. As per the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, the term "100%" is not defined or referenced in any manner under the FSS Act, 2006, or the Rules and Regulatio

UP extends food biz licence deadline to May 31, warns of strict action

The Uttar Pradesh govt has extended its campaign for food business registration and licensing till May 31, but warned of strict action against defaulters

SC slams lack of info on food wrappers, gives Centre 3 months to act

The Supreme Court has given the Centre three months to finalise new food labelling rules, making it mandatory to clearly display key nutritional info on packaged products

FSDA collects ten food samples from Mathura markets for testing purpose

The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) in Mathura has collected 10 samples, including kuttu (buckwheat) and singhara (water chestnut) flour, from various markets for testing. An official said further action will be taken following the test results. Assistant Commissioner (Food) Dharmendra Pratap Singh said the collection was part of efforts to ensure food quality during the festive season. "On Monday, the team gathered samples from markets at Govardhan Chauraha, Dhauali Pyau, and Kosi Kalan," he said Singh said the samples included two of sabudana (tapioca pearls) from Amar Colony near Govardhan Road, one of ghee from Radha Valley Colony, one of paneer from Basant Vihar Colony, and two of mustard oil from Dhauali Pyau and Sarai Shahji Kosi Kalan. "Additionally, samples of munakka (dried grapes) and kuttu flour were also collected," he added. The 10 samples have been sent to the laboratory for analysis. Upon receiving the reports, appropriate legal actions will be taken un

FSSAI scaling up training programmes for street vendors across country: CEO

Food regulator FSSAI is scaling up training programmes for street vendors across the country to provide safe food to people, its CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao said. A meeting was held in Mumbai under the chairmanship of Bhushan Varsha Ashok Gagrani, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), to make a strategy for ensuring safer street food. The meeting, attended by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO and other senior officials, focused on elevating Mumbai's street food to global safety and hygiene standards by exploring the development of Healthy and Hygienic Food Streets (HHFS) in the city, according to a statement issued by the regulator on Friday. Representatives from Thane, Nagpur, Nasik, and Pune Municipal Corporations, also attended the meeting. In the meeting, the issue of ensuring safe, healthy and sustainable food was discussed for the food being sold by street food vendors. "Just as the theme of Har Ghar Tiranga, orange colour

Govt proposes mandatory labelling for bulk pre-packaged commodities

The Consumer Affairs Ministry on Sunday proposed an amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, seeking to mandate the declaration of key information on pre-packaged commodities weighing over 25 kg or measuring more than 25 litres sold in retail markets. The move aims to close a loophole that currently exempts such bulk packages from displaying crucial details like maximum retail price (MRP), best before date, manufacturer information, and country of origin. "It is observed that packaged commodities above 25 kg are also available in the market for retail sale, which is not as per the intention to make all declarations on pre-packaged commodities meant for retail sale," the ministry said in a statement. The proposed amendment would require manufacturers, packers, and importers to provide comprehensive labelling on all pre-packaged goods intended for retail sale, regardless of quantity. This is expected to bring clarity to the industry and aid consumers in ..

FSSAI approves proposal for bolder nutritional information on food packets

The amendment aims to empower consumers to better understand the nutritional value of the product they are consuming and make healthier decisions

Global food prices post the biggest annual drop since 2015, shows data

An index of food-commodity prices created by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization fell about 10 per cent in 2023, according to data released on Friday.

Scientists identify effective nutrition labels for India's population

Researchers have designed new front-of-pack nutrition labels (FoPLs) for India that are easy to understand and can promote healthier food choices. FoPLs of different types highlighting various components of packaged food are in use in many parts of the world. They are mandatory in some countries and voluntarily applied by manufacturers in others. FoPLs provide key information on food components that consumers can use to make choices and purchasing decisions, such as avoiding unhealthy options and choosing healthier ones. India, which does not have an FoPL system in place yet, intends to implement one to promote informed decision-making on packaged food purchasing, as part of promoting healthier diets in the population, the researchers said. Commissioned by the World Health Organization, India, researchers from The George Institute for Global Health, Melbourne Center for Behavior Change, UNICEF, International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, conducted the study. The ...

Imported food item for re-export doesn't need clearance, says FSSAI

The FSSAI advisory should also come as a big relief in ease of doing business

Himalaya Food rebuilding french fries business to add Rs 700 cr in top-line

Himalaya Food International, a player in the frozen and canned food processing segment, is rebuilding and reviving its french fries business, the company's chairman said on Monday. The company is in the process of installation of the 50,000 tonnes per annum french fries line and 12,000 tonnes potato speciality line, which it targets to complete by December 2023 to catch up with the potato season starting March 2024. "These lines have the potential to add Rs 700 crore to the top-line at full capacity," said Himalaya Foods International Ltd (HFIL) chairman Man Mohan Malik in a letter addressing shareholders. HFIL earlier had a joint venture (JV) with Simplot USA. It has a dispute with the JV partner and the matter went to Singapore for arbitration. According to reports, the American JV partner had claimed USD 14 million as refunds against the sale of the french fries line and specialty potato lines. The tribunal has directed Simplot to return the equipments of french fries and potat

FSSAI's proposed label norms unfair to traditional Indian food items: MSMEs

They believe the proposed norms will allow big companies to dominate the Indian food market, as the rules will regard more than 85% of Indian snacks, sweets and beverages as unhealthy

TMS Ep406: RBI rate pause, food labelling, markets, Finance Commission

How will the economy fare as RBI pauses rate hikes? Why has food labelling become controversial? RBI policy done, what next for the markets? What is the Finance Commission? Answers here

Front package warning labels can discourage unhealthy food choices: Study

A study by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition on acceptability and potential use of different formats of front-of-pack nutrition labels in promoting informed food choices suggests 'warning labels' can deter choice and consumption of even moderately unhealthy foods. It also showed that 'summary ratings' like health star or Nutri-Score can help identify healthier variants among the available foods. Summary labels provide a brief and concise overview of a product's key features and benefits, often including information about positive as well as negative nutrients. Warning labels, on the other hand, provide information about potential hazards associated with a product as they take into consideration the nutrients of concern like sugars, fats and salt. Front-of-package labeling (FOPL) is usually seen as an important tool of public health communication about healthiness. Different formats of FOPNL are in use in different countries, either voluntarily or by mandatory ...

FSSAI likely to consider 'warning' stickers on front-of-pack labels

The food regulatory authority is likely to incorporate certain necessary changes such as warning labels along with the existing ratings system in the labelling draft regulations

FSSAI's proposed food label system lacks clear messaging: Experts

Labels must have unambiguous information about health value of a food product, they say

Limit use of 'fancy adjectives' on labels, ads: FSSAI to food companies

FSSAI said that if these 'fancy' adjectives are 'likely to mislead the consumer as to the nature of the food', the companies must put up a disclaimer on the front of the pack

FSSAI rules: Here is what packaged food and restaurant menus must mention

The government on November 17, 2020, notified the norms under the Food Safety And Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, for producers, retailers, and servers