NEW DELHI — In a major move aimed at improving adolescent health and curbing dietary risk factors among children, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed strict quantitative limits on added fat, added sugar, and sodium in foods served or sold on school campuses.

The apex food regulator issued a draft notification in the Gazette of India proposing key amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020. The proposed framework seeks to establish clear, measurable benchmarks to identify HFSS (High in Fat, Sugar, or Salt) foods and prevent their distribution in and around educational institutions.

The new numerical benchmarks draw directly from the National Institute of Nutrition and Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) updated Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024).

Key Proposed Thresholds

Under the draft rules, products exceeding specific nutritional limits will be classified as high in fat, sugar, or sodium:

  • Added Fat:

    • Solid foods: Maximum 4.2 grams of added fat per 100 grams.

    • Liquid products: Maximum 1.5 grams of added fat per 100 ml.

  • Added Sugar:

    • Solid foods: Maximum 3 grams of added sugar per 100 grams.

    • Liquid products: Maximum 2 grams of added sugar per 100 ml.

  • Sodium / Salt:

    • Solid foods: Maximum 0.625 grams of salt per 100 grams.

    • Liquid products: Maximum 0.175 grams of salt per 100 ml.

Implementation and Public Consultation

The proposed amendment is set to be inserted immediately following the existing provisions on monitoring and surveillance within school premises. Framed under the statutory powers of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the rules have received prior approval from the Central Government.

FSSAI has officially opened a 60-day public feedback window from the publication date of the draft gazette notification. Stakeholders, educators, health experts, and members of the public are invited to submit their comments and objections. The regulator confirmed that all representations received within the stipulated period will be evaluated before finalizing the binding regulations.