A social media influencer flagged the high sugar content in Bournvita and triggered a controversy and debate on regulations in packaged and processed food. In this article, we discuss FSSAI’s star rating system and its effectiveness for packaged food products. This topic is relevant for the IAS exam GS paper II.
FSSAI’s Start Rating System
FSSAI proposed the draft regulations for front-of-package labelling (FOPL), the “health-star rating system” which assigns a product a rating of 1/2 to 5 stars.
- The food safety authority first proposed these norms in 2018 for high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products.
- The Health Star Rating is a simple, straightforward method of comparing similar packaged foods.
- The objective of the star rating is to help consumers to make more informed and healthier decisions by making it simple to compare the nutritional profiles of similar packaged foods.
- The HSR system intends to assist consumers in reducing their consumption of unhealthy foods such as HFSS and UPFs (ultra-processed) food products.
Know more about the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in the linked article.
FSSAI Star Rating System Effectiveness
- The draft regulations have received mixed and divergent views from different people.
- Health activists and NGOs are in favour of the star rating of packaged foods and are demanding more robust warning labels for HFSS products.
- Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), a nutritional think-tank, demanded intervention with a policy framework to restrict aggressive marketing of HFSS and UPFs (ultra-processed) food products along with mandatory warning FOPL (front-of-the-pack).
- However many local food companies, such as MSMEs, are reluctant about implementing new regulations since they believe the health star rating (HSR) in its proposed form will adversely impact India’s traditional and ethnic food sector.
- A study released in 2022 by the Indian Sellers Collective pointed out that the health star ratings in their current form will “discredit” Indian ethnic food.
- According to the report, products such as Mysore Pak, Peanut Chikki, Instant Poha and Mathura Peda will get a rating of only 0.5 stars (least healthy). Patisa and Soan Papdi will only get 1 star.
- In certain countries such as Australia health star rating implementation is in a voluntary format while in Chile, health star ratings are mandatory.
- FSSAI officials opined that they will have a discussion with all stakeholders before finalizing the decision.
- As per the FSSAI proposal once regulations are finalized star rating norms will be voluntary in nature for a period of four years.
FSSAI Star Rating and Bournvita Controversy:- Download PDF Here
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