What Did the FSSAI Actually Change?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has consistently updated its labelling regulations, with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, being the cornerstone. A key ongoing change focuses on 'compound ingredients'. Previously,
if a product contained a sauce or a mix that made up less than 5% of the total product, its individual components didn't have to be listed. The new directive tightens this, requiring manufacturers to break down these compound ingredients. This means if your cookie has 'chocolate chips', the label must now list what is in those chips (like cocoa solids, sugar, and emulsifiers), even if the chips are a small part of the overall recipe. This move forces greater transparency, preventing undesirable ingredients like hidden sugars or allergens from going undeclared.
Why This Change Matters to You
This regulatory shift is a direct win for consumer awareness. It makes it harder for brands to hide less-healthy components within a complex ingredient. For families managing allergies, this is a significant safety improvement. Allergens must already be declared separately and in bold, but ensuring every sub-ingredient is listed provides a second layer of defence. For the health-conscious shopper, it unmasks hidden sugars, salts, and fats that might be lurking in a 'Cream and Onion' seasoning or a 'Tandoori Marinade'. In July 2024, the FSSAI also mandated that 'Total Sugar', 'Salt', and 'Saturated Fat' be displayed in bold, larger fonts on the nutrition panel, making it even easier to spot these at a glance. These changes collectively empower you to look beyond the flashy marketing on the front of the box and understand the product's true contents.
The Golden Rule: Order Matters Most
The most important principle of any ingredient list is that everything is listed in descending order by weight. The first three ingredients make up the bulk of the product. If sugar, refined flour (maida), or palm oil are at the top of the list, you can be sure the product is high in those components, regardless of any health claims on the front of the package. A very long list of ingredients, especially with chemical-sounding names or multiple INS numbers (India's system for food additives), often indicates a highly processed food. Simple, whole-food products will naturally have shorter, more recognizable ingredient lists.
Decoding Sugars and Additives
Sugar has many aliases. Beyond just 'sugar', look for terms like high-fructose corn syrup, glucose syrup, invert sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, and fruit juice concentrate. The FSSAI now requires 'Added Sugar' to be declared separately on the nutritional panel, which helps, but checking the ingredient list itself gives you the full picture. Similarly, food additives must be listed with their functional class, like 'Preservative' or 'Acidity Regulator', followed by their specific name or INS number (e.g., 'Preservative (INS 202)'). While approved additives are safe for consumption, seeing many of them on a label is a good sign that the food is heavily processed.
Look for the Mandatory Declarations
Every food label in India must legally carry certain information. Beyond ingredients and nutrition facts, always look for the FSSAI logo and its 14-digit license number. This confirms the product is registered with the food authority. Also, check for the mandatory veg/non-veg symbol—a green dot in a square for vegetarian and a brown triangle in a square for non-vegetarian products. Finally, the allergen declaration is crucial. It must appear in a separate box below the ingredient list, clearly stating things like 'Contains: Wheat, Soy, and Nuts'. This makes it quick and easy to identify potential allergens without having to scan the entire list.
