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Sugar content limits in packaged foods, beverages to be brought in a first: Report
The packaged food companies will make joint representations to ICMR and NIN within 10 days, the report claimed.
Recommended limits for sugar content in packaged foods and beverages could be introduced for the first time by National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), which works with the health ministry-backed Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it was reported. The limits could impact branded soft drinks, juices, cookies, ice-creams and cereals, the Economic Times reported.
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This comes after reports of added sugar in products like Cerelac and Bournvita. Reports earlier claimed that Nestle added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of Nido and Cerelac. Earlier, Cadbury's Bournvita slashed its added sugar content by 14.4 per cent. Last month, the government asked e-commerce websites to remove Bournvita from 'healthy drinks' section as well.
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The packaged food companies will make joint representations to ICMR and NIN within 10 days, the report claimed. The guidelines have not been formulated yet in consultation with large packaged foods and beverages companies, it added as executives at packaged food companies said that the new guidelines seem impractical.
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If the government decided to accept and enforce these norms, most companies will have to change their formulations, they believe as per the report.
