NIN Recommends New Sugar Content Thresholds In Packaged Foods & Beverages: Report

The institution has introduced the threshold for the first time and this development could leave an impact on branded soft beverages, cookies, juices, ice-creams, and cereals, among other items

The report noted that these guidelines have been decided without including major packaged food and beverage brands in the discussions.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) reportedly recommended limits for sugar content in packaged foods and beverages. Media reports said that the institution has introduced the threshold for the first time and this development could leave an impact on branded soft beverages, cookies, juices, ice-creams, and cereals, among other items.

According to a report by The Economic Times, these guidelines have been decided without including major packaged food and beverage brands in the discussions. Now, the packaged food brands will be making joint representations to ICMR and NIN in a period of 10 days regarding the matter, the report stated.

The firms have termed these recommendations as ‘impractical’. The senior management at the packaged food brands said that if the authorities opt to choose and enforce these guidelines, most of the firms would need to make changes to their formulations. 

Notably, a Swiss investigative organisation recently revealed that Nestle added sugar to its food products meant for infants and young children. The investigation noted that the company used sugar in the form of sucerelaccrose or honey in its samples of Nido, a milk formula brand meant to be used for infants aged one and above, along with Cerelac, a cereal product catered for babies in the age range of six months and two years.

Earlier in December 2023, Cadbury’s Bournvita also announced that it reduced its added sugar content by 14.4 per cent, following a government notice instructing e-commerce websites to remove Bournvita from the ‘healthy drinks’ category. 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued a notification and called on all e-commerce firms to completely do away with the category itself. “NCPCR, a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no "Health Drink defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAl and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd,” the notification stated.