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2 Food Processing News Today NEWS May 2025

SC asks for suggestions on amending rules

over warning labels of packaged foods

he Supreme Court observed orally.
directed an expert The bench said that an expert
Tcommittee to give its co m m i tte e s h o u l d b e
recommendations to enable constituted by the Centre.
the Centre to amend food T h e b e n c h s a i d t h i s
safety regulations to deal committee should prepare a
with warning labels on list of recommendations, and
packaged foods. submit a report within three
A bench comprising Justices J months.
B P a r d i w a l a a n d R The bench said on the basis of
Mahadevan was hearing a PIL recommendations necessary
of public charitable trust 3S amendments could be taken
and Our Health Society, filed up.
through lawyer Rajiv Shankar The bench examined the reply
Dvivedi seeking directions to filed by the Centre and the
the Centre, states and union Food Safety and Standards
territories to implement Authority of India (FSSAI) of
mandatory front-of-package proposing an amendment in
warning labels (FOPL) on the regulations on the same
issue.
packaged foods.
The plea said it would enable The bench was informed that
citizens to take informed the Centre has received
around 14,000 objections and
d e c i s i o n s o n f o o d
consumption. suggestions from the public
During the hearing, the bench and they constituted an
observed that children are expert committee to examine
more interested in knowing them and recommend
what's inside the 'Kurkure' changes in the Food and
packet, than what is on it. Safety Standards (Labelling
"You have grandchildren. and Display) Regulations,
Allow them to decide this 2020.
petition, then you will get to After hearing submissions,
the bench said, “We dispose
know what's Kurkure.
They don't see any content, of this writ petition with the
they just see what's in the direction to the expert
packet," Justice J.B. Pardiwala committee to give its
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s
expeditiously within three
months….”.
The plea has cited the
country's growing burden of
non-communicable diseases
and claimed the FOPL would
highlight the presence of high
levels of sugar, salt, and
s a t u r a t e d f a t s — k e y
contributors to serious health
issues such as diabetes,
obesity, cardiovascular
diseases, and certain cancers.
According to the health
experts' and the petitioner,
the root cause was the
widespread availability and
aggressive marketing of ultra-
processed foods high in sugar,
salt, and unhealthy fats.

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