All about FSSAI's new rules for packaged foods and how it will impact the market

Packaged foods are often said to be loaded with preservatives and that is the reason, it is always said to read the label properly before buying any food item. The irony is, while it is all written, there are times when brands play with words and font sizes and style to cheat the customers and that is where the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plays a key role.In recent times, when the leading spice brands were banned after cancer-causing compounds were found in them, the role of FSSAI came under question and the team is now actively tracing the brands and their loyalty towards customers.
In the same league, recently, FSSAI has approved a proposal that will require manufacturers to display saturated fat, salt and sugar levels in “bold letters” and “large fonts” on labels of packaged food items, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.
In a statement, FSSAI said that the decision taken at its 44th meeting, will empower consumers to better understand the nutritional value of food items. The proposal for the changes will be placed in the public domain for suggestions and objections.

As per reports, the current food regulations require all packaged food items to display their nutrition content, calories per unit food, and levels of fat, salt, sugar, added sugar, among other ingredients. The FSSAI said the proposed rules on bold letters and large font sizes would empower consumers and help curb the rise of non-communicable diseases. To be sure, India's food regulator is also weighing a front-of-pack nutrition-labelling (FOPNL) system, along with a star rating to indicate the nutritional value of an item.
On the other side of the spectrum, health experts feel current rules require nutrition information to be provided on the back of the pack.
Also, experts feel that this is a small step that does not match and should not replace what we really need —front-of-the-pack warnings about high salt, sugar and fat.
As per brands, they will evaluate the suggestions and respond to the authorities with our suggestions and objections (if any).
For some brands, it is nothing new, as a few players have already been providing nutritional information on the back of our product packs. They also include Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labelling on the front of product packs, which provides consumers with transparent nutrition information.

How will it impact the future?
As per experts, the proposed amendment could nudge companies to reformulate their products to lower the amount of sugar, salt and fat as consumers become more aware. Also, it is expected that the new regulation will help promote a health-conscious community and lower the occurrence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), despite initial hurdles.
Before the FSSAI move came into action, the Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest - India, NAPI had on Friday released a report flagging concerns that the FSSAI had not fined nor taken punitive action against at least 32 advertisements that its own committee had deemed as misleading.
What is your take on the FSSAI move? Share your thoughts in the comment section.