The FSSAI may require that packaged food products have a label on the front of the package based on recognizable symbols. It should indicate how much energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium, and essential nutrients the packet contains per 100 gm or 100 ml. Front Pack Labeling, which will provide consumers with information about the nutritional value of packaged goods, may be implemented by India’s food regulatory body.
The food regulator started talking about these topics last year and also proposed an Indian Nutrition Rating for packaged foods sold based on their overall nutritional status. Indian Nutrition Rating has suggested a format for Front of Pack Labeling in the FSSAI’s draft notification of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Amendment Regulations 2022, published on September 13, 2022. The same was available for comments until November 18, 2022. The feedback is taken into consideration.
In some Western nations, nutritional labelling on the front of the package has already been implemented in various formats and has successfully assisted consumers in making informed decisions. The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), a Hyderabad-based institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research, recently published conclusions from a study on the acceptability and potential use of various nutrition label formats in encouraging informed food choices.
In a statement about the findings of its study, NIN said that the study’s findings suggest that warning labels can discourage the choice and consumption of even moderately unhealthy foods. At the same time, summary ratings like health star or NutriScore can help identify healthier variants among the available foods.
Summary labels provide a simple, direct, and concise review of the importance of the characteristics and advantages of the product, frequently disclosing details about both good and bad nutrients. On the other hand, warning labels provide information about potential risks connected to the product as they consider the nutrients of concern, like sugars, fats, and salt. FOPNLs (front-of-the-pack nutrition labels), which are symbols-based, are likely to be well-accepted by the population of India.
Nutritional labels are crucial tools for educating the public about a particular food item’s health. Around the world, various countries use these labels in different formats, either voluntarily or due to implementation requirements. According to Dr Hemalatha R, director of NIN, the FOPNL format should be chosen for the Indian context based on more than just its general acceptability and appeal. The choice of format is also influenced by the primary goal of introducing the FOPNL. Summary labels may be helpful if FOPNL’s goal is to encourage consumers to choose healthy food.
As an alternative, she suggested that warning indicator labels might be helpful if the FOPNL needs to act as a preventive measure in the context of rising overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases. These labels would serve to discourage consumers from consuming certain nutrients.
