Restaurants to display calorie list
The expert group formed by the FSAAI will give recommendations
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-06-20 05:32 GMT
New Delhi: Restaurants and eateries in India will soon have to make calorie-related info-rmation available on menus. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has formed an expert group to draw up guidelines to disclose fats, salt and sugar in food served to people.
“The adverse effects caused by food, high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), on the health of consumers is a matter of concern. We must know the calorie content of food we eat at restaurants, specially fats, salt and sugar so that consumers can make a fair choice,” FSSAI chief Yudhvir Singh Malik said.
People don’t know what they eat:
The Delhi High Court had earlier directed FSSAI to issue guidelines on food for school-going children. This is likely to be issued separately. The expert group formed by the FSAAI will give recommendations on “healthy dietary intake of fat, sugar and salt”, and suggest limits for fat, sugar and salt in food for manufacturing, processing, import and marketing.
It has also been asked to advise on labelling requirements for packaged food and regulations for display of food sold, served in eating joints and catering facilities. “Consumers have no way to know what they are eating. Even Haldirams, Bikanerwalas and Sarvana Bhavans will have to adhere to the regulations once they are framed,” added the FSSAI chief Yudhvir Singh Malik.
Officials, however, said that there was a long way to go before such regulations can come into force. Long drawn studies have to be done before that.