India proposes ban on added sugars in infant foods for babies under six months
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has drafted a rule prohibiting sucrose and fructose in baby foods for infants up to six months.
India's food safety regulator, the FSSAI, has issued a draft amendment that would bar the inclusion of sucrose and fructose in infant nutrition products intended for babies up to six months old. The proposal, released in the Gazette on 16 October, aims to curb early exposure to added sugars during a critical developmental window and aligns with public-health advice on exclusive breastfeeding. It follows an April 2024 Swiss probe that found Nestlé's Cerelac sold in India contained added sugar, unlike its European counterpart.
Existing rules already prioritize lactose and glucose polymers but permit limited added sugars for older infants; the new draft would eliminate that permission for the youngest age bracket. The baby-food market, valued at $1.16 billion in 2024, could feel significant effects as manufacturers adjust formulations. The ministry has opened a 60-day window for objections and suggestions before finalising the regulation.
Why it matters
Removing added sugars from early infant foods could improve child health and reshape India's growing baby-food market.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage frames the rule as a health measure targeting infant sugar intake and broader obesity concerns, while centrist coverage emphasizes alignment with exclusive-breastfeeding advice, cites a Nestlé probe, and notes market implications.
LEFT
Frames the proposal as a health-driven crackdown on added sugars to lower infant sugar intake and address the nation’s rising obesity problem.
CENTER
Frames the proposal as a public-health step that protects infants during a critical developmental window, ties to exclusive-breastfeeding guidance, and highlights the Nestlé sugar probe and market impact.
The left emphasises
- lower infants' sugar intake
- address health concerns linked to the country's growing obesity problem
- part of a series of intensified food-safety actions
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