These regulations were result of the direction of the Delhi High Court wherein it has asked the apex food regulator to review the subject and an Expert Group and later on a HFSS Expert Committee was constituted to give recommendations regarding the food products which are high in saturated fat or trans fats or added sugar or sodium.
In regulations related to Safe Food and Healthy Diets for School Children, FSSAI has fixed the responsibility of the school authorities to ensure safe food and balanced diets on school premises which earlier was missing in the schools and left only to the canteen contractor or caterer or the in charge of the canteen.
The regulations now lay greater emphasis and responsibility on all those connected with school running to ensure safe food to the children for the reasons of obesity and health issues among them.
Now the School Canteen Contractor /FBO / Caterer needs to have either licence or registration from the food authority, according to D V Malhan, president, the Society of Bakers.
Further, the school authority shall have to ensure that there shall not be any advertisement/or banner or wallpaper of food which depicts high in saturated fat or trans fats or added sugar or sodium for sale.
“The emphasis is on the promotion of safe food and balanced diet in and around school campuses,” he added.
The Confederation of All India Traders has objected to the rules that food products high in saturated fat or trans fats or added sugar or sodium in school campus or to school children in an area within 50 m from the school gate in any direction will not be allowed to be sold.
According to clause 5 of this regulation, ‘School authority shall ensure that no person shall sell or offer for sale including free sale, or permit sale, of food products high in saturated fat or trans fats or added sugar or sodium in school premises or campus’.
FSSAI in the regulations itself clarified that the rules related to food high on salt, sugar and fat will come into effect at an appropriate time.
“For the food products which are high in saturated fat or trans fats or added sugar or sodium, other regulations are coming which will indicate its nature,” said Malhan.