by Nestlé, the global food conglomerate, has recently come under scrutiny for adding sugar to its powdered baby food products, such as Cerelac, in low-income countries such as India, while omitting it in wealthier nations.
The revelation prompted the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to reassess its regulations on sugar in packaged foods.
Especially, a joint investigation by Public Eye and the International Children’s Food Action Network (IBFAN) released last month, revealed that “in India, where sales of Cerelac (powdered food for the age group 6-24 months) will exceed $250 million in 2022, each Cerelac baby cereal contains added sugar, nearly 3 grams per serving of the average”.
In its defence, Nestlé India issued a statement that it has reduced added sugars by up to 30 per cent, depending on the variant, in its infant cereal (complementary food based on milk cereals) portfolio.
“We regularly review our portfolio and continue to innovate and reformulate our products to further reduce the level of added sugars without compromising quality, safety and taste,” the food company said.
Meanwhile, speaking to ThePrint, a senior FSSAI official said that one of its scientific panels was examining the case, in the context of the Nestlé controversy, and could recommend a policy change, if deemed necessary. .
In response to a question to its chief executive officer G. Kamala Vardhan Rao to understand the authority’s official position, FSSAI shared its FSS (Foods for Infant Nutrition) regulations.
He said that polymers of lactose and glucose — types of carbohydrates — “are the best carbohydrates for food for infant nutrition. The regulation also states that sucrose and/or fructose will not be added unless they are needed as a carbohydrate source, and provided that their sum does not exceed 20 percent of the total carbohydrate.”
However, nutrition experts such as Dr Arun Gupta, national convenor of nutrition think tank, Nutrition Advocacy in the Public Interest (NAPi) pointed out that there are clear loopholes in the current norms in India, which concern companies benefit from them.
He pointed out that the WHO gives specific advice on a healthy diet for infants and children, saying that breast milk should be supplemented from 6 months of age with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient-dense foods, and that salt and sugars should not to add. with complementary foods.
Despite this, India’s Food Safety and Standards (Food for Infant Nutrition) Regulations 2020 allow the addition of sucrose and/or fructose up to 20 percent of total carbohydrates or 13.6 grams of sugar per 100 grams of serving.
In fact, Gupta said, no packaged food with added sugar should be allowed at all infants. Further, considering India’s growing non-communicable disease crisis, he said products for older children and adults should carry clear Front of Packet Label (FoPL) warnings stating whether they are high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS).
Also read: Keep babies away from sugar, 500g of fruit and vegetables every day — new national dietary guidelines after 13 years
Damage caused by sugar
In India, 56.4 percent of the disease burden is directly linked to diet, highlighted the 148-page guidelines by ICMR-NIN.
Another study by the ICMRin collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation released last year found that one in four Indians is diabetic, pre-diabetic, or obese – conditions related to dietary habits and disturbed lifestyles.
In addition, there is also ample evidence to establish that feeding infants and young children food products laden with added sugar puts them at higher risk of early childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases later in life.
In addition, the American Heart Association recommends that adult women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons (about 25 grams) and men no more than 9 teaspoons (about 38 grams) of added sugar daily.
Despite these guidelines and warnings, many packaged foods, including unexpected foods, contain added sugars such as sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
Dr Tushar Tayal, chief consultant, department of internal medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, explained that the liver is the only organ that can metabolize sugar in significant amounts.
“When your liver is overloaded, it turns sugar into fat. Some of that fat can lodge in your liver, contributing to fatty liver. High sugar consumption is also linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes,” he said.
In addition, it promotes oxidative stress, inflammation, higher uric acid levels, hypertriglyceridemia and higher systolic blood pressure. Also, high sugar causes leptin hormone resistance, emphasizes Tayal.
Leptin is a hormone that sends signals to your brain when you need food or when you are satiated. On the other hand, you feel hungry and eat more even though your body has stored a lot of fat.
Even worse, since refined sugar is a form of sugar that has already been digested, it causes a rapid spike in sugar levels, which is extremely harmful for a diabetic, experts said.
Scientifically, added sugar in food products can be more harmful to health compared to natural sugar because they add more calories without providing essential nutrients, explained Seema Gulati, head of the nutrition research group at the Delhi non-profit National Diabetes , Obesity, and Cholesterol Foundation.
Gulati added that natural sugars found in fruits and dairy products are packaged with fiber, vitamins and minerals, which can moderate some of their negative effects when consumed in moderation.
Meanwhile, the ICMR-NIN guidelines addressed the increase in highly processed food consumption, sedentary lifestyles, and limited access to diverse foods, contributing to micronutrient deficiencies and increasing obesity rates in India.
The guidelines also highlighted concerns regarding aggressive advertising and marketing of these unhealthy foods through various media, including social media, influencing dietary choices among children and adults, leading to long-term adverse effects.
Given this context, Gupta pointed out that there are hardly any occasions when the FSSAI has penalized food companies for misleading advertisements. He also expressed disappointment at the delay in implementing the FOPL policy, which he said would at least inform consumers and help their decision-making in choosing what they eat.
Also read: Gutkha, paan masala fix: Policy reform can save Indian consumers $19bn in healthcare costs, study finds
‘We need a scientific cut-off for sugar, salt and fat’
Some nutrition experts argue that scientific “cut-off points” for salt, sugar and fats in processed foods are mandatory if India is to curb the raging pandemic of lifestyle diseases.
According to Gulati, there are gaps in enforcement or limitations in the scope of food regulation. “It is essential for regulatory bodies to continuously review and strengthen regulations related to sugar, salt, trans fat and other harmful ingredients to protect public health. Collaboration between government agencies, health experts, and industry stakeholders is critical to effectively address these issues,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ashim Sanyal, chief operating officer (COO) and secretary at Consumer Voice, a Delhi-based consumer advocacy group, pointed out the regulatory void in controlling high levels of sugar, salt and fat in packaged foods, which has become in their daily lives. a staple for many.
“The pending FOPL policy is probably due to industry pressure,” he alleged, adding that more sugar, salt or saturated fats are addictive and convenient to use.
Although experts have highlighted concerns related to food regulations, the evidence linking ultra-processed food (UPF) to non-communicable diseases, including cancers, has also been growing in the country over the past few years.
WHO report from 2023 showed that India’s UPF sector, which includes chocolate, sugar confectionery, salty snacks, beverages, ready-to-eat meals, and breakfast cereals, achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.37 percent in retail sales value from 2011 to 2021..
Additionally, according to the Nova Food Classification System — a widely used system that rates food based on degree of processing — UPF includes mostly edible items of industrial origin, made mostly or entirely from substances that derived from foods and additives that use a series of processes and contain. minimal whole foods.
According to Sanyal, the least FSSAI can do is to warn consumers by introducing FOPL so that they can make informed choices based on their health concerns. “Consumers often come across food products that don’t even state the nutritional content on their packaging,” he said.
As a result, consumers have little guidance to help them make informed choices about sugary and refined products, Sanyal told ThePrint, stressing: “It should be mandatory even for restaurants and home chefs to have basic values mention the nutritional value of their products.”
(Editing by Richa Mishra)
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