Non-Defining of Junk Food Under Food Safety Act

NEW DELHI: “Junk Food” has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act,2006.

At present, there is no proposal under consideration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to define junk food under the FSS Act. However, guidelines for making available Wholesome, Nutritious, Safe and Hygienic Food to School children in the country have been framed by the Central Advisory Committee, FSSAI.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), ICMR has not conducted a study on junk food. A study had, however, been conducted by NIN to assess ill-effects of consumption of Carbonated Water beverages (CWBs) on the health of adolescents and young Adults, which showed higher increments of body fat in young consumers.

The consumers are educated/made aware of the food safety through consumer awareness programmes launched jointly by the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). These include advertisements in different media, campaigns launched by the FSSAI on social media such as Face-book, documentary films on YouTube, educational booklets, information on FSSAI website, stalls at Fairs/Melas/Events and mass awareness campaigns.

The MoS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,  Shripad Yesso Naik stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here on Thursday.