FSSAI to issue health star rating for packaged food foods
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced that it will soon start a star rating for packaged food. Accordingly, packaged foods will have a number of stars displayed on them which will indicate whether the item is healthy or unhealthy. This ‘health start’ display on the package will help customers ascertain whether the packaged food is harmful or healthy.
28 Feb 2022 | 1574 Views | By PrintWeek Team
The system will be similar to the one that is being used by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency for assessing the energy efficiency in electrical devices.
The star rating will be determined by the amount of fats, sugar, and salt in the food item.
The ratings will be placed in front of the packets as studies show that this method is much more effective towards affecting the choice of the consumer.
The display of star ratings was recommended by a study conducted by IIM Ahmedabad to make it easier for customers to understand. The ratings will also use the methodology suggested by the study.
The study showed that energy-dense foods are readily available in the country which is leading to non-communicable diseases and obesity in India. This is the FSSAI began looking for ways to educate consumers about the nutrition profile of the food they are consuming.