Experts Back Warnings for High Level of Each Nutrient — Not Just Fats, Sugar, or Salt Content, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court is reviewing a petition for mandatory Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) on packaged foods high in fats, sugar, or salt.
• Global experts and the ICMR-NIN advocate for FOPL warnings to be triggered by high levels of even a single nutrient.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a red hexagonal warning label, with a two-phase implementation plan.
• Experts suggest using multiple warning labels for each high nutrient and black hexagonal boxes for better visual contrast.
• The ICMR-NIN recommends that nutrient thresholds for warnings be based on the total energy density of the food.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court has requested a scientifically justified timeline from FSSAI for the implementation of the second phase of FOPL.
• FSSAI initially proposed triggering warnings if a food is high in two of three nutrients, with a shift to single-nutrient triggers in the second phase.
• Global experts from institutions like Harvard Medical School support FOPL for its proven impact on consumer behavior and dietary intake.
• Evidence from Chile indicates that consumers perceive products with more warning labels as less healthy.
• The ICMR-NIN emphasizes that single-nutrient warnings prevent products substantially high in one nutrient from escaping consumer attention.
• The ICMR-NIN also suggests a time-bound, phased implementation with progressively lowered thresholds to encourage product reformulation.
• The ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians-2024 are used as a reference for deciding nutrient thresholds.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL): A system of labels on the front of food packaging designed to quickly inform consumers about the nutritional content.
• Nutrient Thresholds: Specific limits for nutrients like fat, sugar, or salt, beyond which a food product is considered unhealthy and requires a warning label.
• Energy Density: The amount of energy (calories) per unit weight or volume of food, used by ICMR-NIN as a basis for nutrient cut-offs.
• Product Reformulation: The process by which food manufacturers alter ingredients to improve the nutritional profile of their products.