The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has created a special committee to examine whether sugar should be allowed in baby food products. This move comes after Nestle faced global criticism last year for adding sugar to its popular infant cereal, Cerelac, in India and other developing countries. In developed countries, the same product is sold without sugar.
What the Law Says
India already has strict rules on baby food ingredients and marketing. Companies are not allowed to advertise infant food, but the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2019 permit the use of sucrose or fructose in certain cases. The rule states that these sugars can be added only if needed as a carbohydrate source, and their total should not exceed 20% of the product’s carbohydrate content.
What the Committee Will Decide
According to officials, the new FSSAI committee will study whether sugar should continue to be allowed in infant food in India. If allowed, the committee may also suggest how much sugar is safe to use. Currently, no deadline has been set for the panel to share its recommendations.
Global Criticism Against Nestle
In April 2024, Public Eye, a Swiss investigative group, along with the International Baby Food Action Network, alleged that Nestle sold Cerelac with added sugar in India and other developing markets, while keeping it sugar-free in developed countries.
Nestle’s Response
Nestle India has denied any difference between its products sold in India and abroad. The company also stated that it has reduced sugar in Cerelac by up to 30% over the last five years. Recently, Nestlé has also introduced a new Cerelac range with “no refined sugar” option.
Date : 24 August 2025
Time : 10 AM to 5 PM
Fee : Rs. 1180
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