Lok Sabha Question No. 1353 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Packaging of Label on Food Products
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1353 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH FEBRUARY, 2024

## PACKAGING OFLABELON FOOD PRODUCTS

## 1353. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the criteria used for defining the list of food and beverages in the exemption categories along with the criteria defined by FSSAI;

(b) whether FSSAI has consulted the national scientific community and institutions and if so, the details thereof along with the experts and institution which have been consulted;

(c) whether a full disclosure regarding conflict of interest by all stakeholders has been made available on any public domain and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Front of Package Label (FOPL) is likely to be made mandatory for all food, beverages and milk products in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the scientific reasons considered by FSSAI therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 prescribing requirements for labelling of packaged food. The Regulation requires display of nutrients and their contribution to Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) in percentage at the back of the pack as Nutritional Information to enable consumers to make informed choice. It is mandatory for Food Business Operators (FBOs) to label the food package in accordance with these Regulations. The criteria are as per the provision given in the codex that ' Nutrient declaration should be mandatory for all other pre-packaged foods except where national circumstances would not support such declarations. Certain foods may be exempted for example, on the basis of nutritional or dietary insignificance or small packaging ' . Further, the list of such exempted products was made based on global practices.

The said regulation was framed by the Scientific Panel on labelling/advertisement and claims, which comprises of scientific experts from renowned institutions like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Indian dietetic association etc. and draft notified for inviting stakeholder ' s comments. After due deliberation and considering the comments from various stakeholders such as industry association (Confederation of Indian Food Trade and Industry (CIFTI)- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) etc.), scientific bodies (Association of Food Scientists & Technologists India (AFSTI), Protein Foods & Nutrition Development Association of India (PFNDAI), consumer organisations etc., the draft regulation was finalised and notified. However, Disclosure of interest of all Scientific Panel members involved in the development of Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulation, 2020 has been made.

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