STAR RATING FOR PACKAGED FOODS
Source: The Indian Express
Context
India's Top food regulator has published a draft notification that makes it mandatory for pre-packaged foods to carry a star rating similar to the energy-efficiency ratings on electronic goods to discourage the consumption of foods high in sugar, salt and fats.
The decision to introduce a front-of-pack label of nutrients in packaged food comes in the backdrop of the increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases.
Front-of-pack label
- This is supposed to be a chart or symbol that conveys simplified nutritional information to consumers, helping them make quick decisions on which foods to buy.
- The aim is to aid consumers in making an informed choice, even if they buy high-calorie foods.
- Experts say that such labelling can help reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods that are high in sugars, salts and facts.
- Earlier this year, a position paper by the organic public such as the Public Health Foundation of India, CentEnvironmentnce and Environment and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics found Chile had witnessed a 24 per cent fall in the consumption of sugary drinks once the warning label was put.
- Although food packages must carry the nutrition content, it is printed in very small type at the back of the pack and most people do not read them. A front-of-pack label is less likely to be ignored.
| Preventing or reducing the consumption of foods high in salts, sugars and fats could help check the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, to which around 60 per cent of deaths in India are currently attributable. |
- Parents will be less likely to give their children instant noodles or chips if they see a red warning label on the pack.
- Childhood obesity leads to the early onset of diabetes, hypertension and heart attacks.
Types of labels
Some ways in which nutritional information can be provided on the front of the pack.
Daily intake Guide
A panel that says what proportion of the daily recommendations of nutrients is present in one serving of the pre-packaged food.
Nutrition Information Panel
Which provides the quantity of each of the main nutrients present in the food.
Traffic Light Labelling
Which shows the number of fats, salt, sugar, etc, present in a serving and classifies it with colours like red, orange or green based on how healthy it is.
Warning Label
A colour-coded or written label that shows whether the quantity of salts, sugars and fats is high, without providing any details of the quantities in the food.
Star rating
A label that provides 1 to 5 stars based on how healthy the product is, with 5 being the healthiest. It does not provide a break-up of nutrients.
FSSAI recommendation
- In its draft notification, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a star rating system called the " Indian Nutrition Rating (INR) where the unhealthiest foods will carry a 0-star rating and the healthiest a 5-star rating.
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The notification says items will be given scores based on the contribution of energy and content of saturated fats; sugars, Sodium, fruits & Vegetables (FV), Nuts, legumes and millets (NLM), dietary fibre and protein in 100g of solid or 100 ml of liquid foods.
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- Solid foods with a score of more than 25 will be given 0.5 stars while those with a score less than (-) 11 will get 5 stars.
- Liquid foods with a score of more than 20 will get 0.5 stars; those scoring zero will get 5 stars.
Conclusion
- A coloured warning label is likely to work the best in India, where many can't read.
- We need a type of label that can immediately tell people that food is unhealthy even without reading anything.
- A traffic light for the various components can achieve that People will try to go for products that have more green labels.
For Prelims & Mains
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For Prelims: FASSI, Packaged Food, types of labels
For Mains: What is the star rating for Packaged food and discuss different types of labels (250 words)
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