New Delhi, December 17
A new report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claims that most packaged food and fast food items being sold in India contain high levels of salt and fats in them, much higher than the threshold set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), but not notified.
The study tested salt, fats, trans-fats and carbohydrates in 33 popular junk foods, which include 14 samples of chips, namkeen, instant noodles and soups and 19 samples of burgers, fries, fried chicken, pizza, sandwich and wraps.
“These samples were collected from grocery stores and fast food outlets in Delhi and are known to be widely sold and consumed across the country,” read a statement by the CSE.
‘Consumers should know what they eat’
The industry is opposing the notification of draft regulation because then we will know how bad their food is. We have found dangerously high levels of salt and fats in all packaged food and fast food samples that we tested. Consumers have the right to know what is contained in the package. Sunita Narain, CSE Director General
They include brands like Knorr tomato soup, Nestle’s Maggi, Patanjali atta noodles, Haldiram, LAY’S and Too Yumm chips (endorsed by cricket icon Virat Kohli), Haldiram’s classic nut crackers and aloo bhujia, Kurkure, Bingo mad angles, burgers, fries and wraps from fast food chains like the KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Subway.
According to the tests conducted by CSE’s Environment Monitoring Laboratory (EML), levels of salt are much higher than the threshold set by industry body — FSSAI. The EML is known for its earlier findings on food products consumed in India (pesticide in soft drinks), potassium bromate in bread, antibiotics in honey and chicken.
CSE director general Sunita Narain said: “The industry is opposing the notification of draft regulation because then we will know how bad their food is. We have found dangerously high levels of salt and fats in all packaged food and fast food samples that we tested. Consumers have the right to know what is contained in the package. But our food regulator, the FSSAI, is dragging its feet and has not notified its own draft labelling regulation. This is clearly because of pressure from the powerful food industry. This is not acceptable. This is compromising our right to know and our right to health.”
“Expert group made recommendations six years ago, but the draft regulation that has emerged is severely diluted. Even this much-diluted draft has not been notified,” the CSE said, calling for urgent notification of labeling laws and RED warning label on food items that cross the healthy threshold.
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