The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is currently collecting samples of Nestle's Cerelac baby cereals from across India following concerns about alleged high sugar content in the product. FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao mentioned that the process of collecting samples will take around 15-20 days to complete.
The decision to collect samples was prompted by concerns raised by the consumer affairs ministry and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) after a global report published by Swiss NGO Public Eye alleged that Nestle was selling baby products with higher sugar content in less developed countries, including India.
However, Nestle India has asserted that it adheres to compliance standards and has reduced added sugar in baby food products in India by up to 30 percent over the past five years.
Speaking at an Assocham event on food fortification, the FSSAI CEO emphasized the importance of fortifying food for human health and advocated for expanding fortification efforts beyond rice to include millets and other alternative foods. He also unveiled a knowledge report titled 'Fortifying India's Future: Significance of Food Fortification and Nutrition' during the event.
Other speakers at the event, including LT Foods Global Branded Business CEO Vivek Chandra and representatives from organizations like the World Food Programme and Fortify Health, also highlighted the importance of food fortification and nutrition in promoting public health.
