Added sugar in Cerelac?: Centre asks FSSAI to ‘initiate appropriate action’ against Nestle
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said in a letter that high sugar in baby products ‘raises serious concerns about the potential implications for the health and safety of children’ in India.
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Taking cognizance of reports on Nestle selling baby products with higher sugar content in India, the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to “initiate appropriate action” against the company.
In a letter to the FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao on April 18, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said, “As per the news reports, Public Eye, an investigation agency based in Switzerland has published a report highlighting concerning findings about Nestle’s manufacturing practices in India. According to the report, Nestle Company has been alleged to add 2.7g of sugar per serving to Nestle Cerelac baby cereals sold in India while refraining from such practices in other countries such as Germany, Switzerland, France &UK.”
“It may be mentioned that high sugar in baby products raises serious concerns about the potential implications for the health and safety of children in our country. The health and well-being of our citizens, especially infants and young children, is of paramount importance, and any deviation from safety standards could lead to serious health concerns,” Khare said.
“In light of these reports, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is requested to initiate an appropriate action into the practices of Nestle Company regarding the composition of Nestle Cerelac baby cereals sold in India. Your prompt attention on this matter will be highly appreciated,” Khare said.
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