Exclusive: 14 December 2024, New DelhiUnion Health Minister JP Nadda said on Friday in the Lok Sabha that tests conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) did not find anything amiss with the sugar levels in wheat-based baby food sold by Nestlé in India. The government initiated the probe following an international NGO's claims that the sugar levels in the product were too high.

Main Points:

Claims of Violation Prompted Investigation:

• An international NGO said that Nestlé's baby food sold in India had more sugar than allowed by the rules.

• The government took cognizance of the claims itself and sought inspection by FSSAI.

Inspection Information and Results:

• The inspections were held at Nestlé's factories on April 29 and 30.

• FSSAI scanned and discovered that the sugar in every portion satisfied the requirements of Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020.

Regulatory Standards:

• The rules for added sugar in baby food match global standards, including those from the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

• The Codex standards include recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) on keeping food safe for babies.

Minister's Statement:
JP Nadda promised the Lok Sabha that the government is alert and takes all claims about food safety seriously. He highlighted that the inspections validated compliance with existing sugar content norms.
The inspection findings reaffirm Nestlé’s adherence to the Food Safety and Standards regulations in India, bringing clarity to allegations of excessive sugar levels in its baby food products. The case underscores the government's proactive stance in maintaining infant food safety standards.