Kerala seeks FSSAI clarity on junk food regulations

The Kerala government will request clarification from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding rules to identify and regulate foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS). Health Minister K Muraleedharan stated that the state aims to curb unhealthy eating habits among children by regulating or prohibiting the sale of junk food on school premises.

Currently, the lack of a precise scientific definition for junk food has created uncertainty regarding which products fall into this category. While the FSSAI published draft regulations on August 7 proposing specific thresholds for solid and liquid foods, the state requires these standards to be finalized and incorporated into a legal framework to provide a clear basis for enforcement.

Under the proposed FSSAI limits, solid foods exceeding 4.2 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar, or 0.625 grams of salt per 100 grams would be classified as high in these ingredients. For liquid foods, the thresholds are set at more than 1.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, and 0.175 grams of salt per 100 milliliters.