NEW RULES OF FSSAI (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved changes to nutritional information labelling on packaged food items.

New Rules of FSSAI

• Bold Display: FSSAI approved displaying total sugar, salt, and saturated fat in bold and larger font sizes on packaged food labels.
• Decision: The decision to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, was made during the 44th meeting of the Food Authority.
• Empowering Consumers with Clear Information: The amendment aims to empower consumers by enhancing understanding of nutritional value and encouraging healthier food choices.
• Mandatory Per-Serve Percentage of RDAs: Packaged food brands must now include per-serve percentage contributions to recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for total sugar, total saturated fat, and sodium content in bold letters.
• Existing Regulations and Required Information: Current regulations mandate the declaration of product name, ingredients, nutritional information, allergens, FSSAI logo and license number, "best before" or "use by" date, net quantity, country of origin, storage conditions, and usage instructions on product packaging.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

• Statutory status: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Objective: Its primary objective is to lay down science-based standards for food articles and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.