What defines junk food? Health ministry has no idea

The health ministry has done quite a lot in framing reports and conducting studies but has never defined junk food in any way.

The health ministry has done quite a lot in framing reports and conducting studies but has never defined junk food in any way.

NEW DELHI: While India may be pushing for rules to regulate packaged food, supplements and dietary items, it has absolutely no guidelines for "junk food".

In fact, "Junk Food" has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.

"At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the health ministry to define junk food under the FSS Act. However, guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe and hygienic food to school children in the country have been framed by the Central Advisory Committee, FSSAI," the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), ICMR has not conducted a study on junk food. A study had, however, been conducted by NIN to assess ill-effects of consumption of Carbonated Water beverages (CWBs) on the health of adolescents and young adults, which showed higher increments of body fat in young consumers.

In such a situation, the ministry is banking on consumer awareness programmes.

"Consumers are educated/made aware of the food safety through consumer awareness programmes launched jointly by the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These include advertisements in different media, campaigns launched by the FSSAI on social media such as Face-book, documentary films on YouTube, educational booklets, information on FSSAI website, stalls at Fairs/Melas/Events and mass awareness campaigns," MoS, Health, Shripad Yesso Naik told the Rajya Sabha.

"As per the conditions of license prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, all food business operators have to ensure testing of relevant chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in food products in accordance with these regulations as frequently as required on the basis of historical data and risk assessment to ensure production and delivery of safe food through the operator's own laboratory or NABL accredited /Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified labs at least once in six months," Naik said.

Every food business operator in the country has to follow and comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder, he added.

"Besides, safety standards of food items have been notified in respect of around 365 categories of food products. These standards are enforced by the Food Safety Departments of the States/UTs," he said.