FSSAI's new formula for children's food will limit high sugar, fat, and salt.
According to the FSSAI proposal, a food containing more than 3 grams of sugar per 100 grams is considered high in sugar. Similarly, a food containing more than 4.2 grams of excess fat per 100 grams would be considered high in fat.
FSSAI monitors children's food
Every day, children buy samosas, chips, biscuits or cold drinks from the school canteen, but the question is how much of this food is harmful for children? Now, the answer to this is not just based on guesswork but on the basis of fixed data. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a draft of new rules regarding the food of school children. For the first time, an attempt has been made to decide how much sugar, fat or salt a food contains before it can be considered 'high sugar', 'high fat' or 'high salt'.
Why are questions being raised about the food served in the children's canteen?
Children spend a significant amount of time in school. Therefore, what they are offered in the school canteen can directly impact their eating habits. Currently, the sale and advertising of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt is prohibited inside schools and within 50 meters of the school gate. However, a major problem was that it was unclear which foods were considered "high in fat, high in sugar, or high in salt." FSSAI's new draft seeks to address this shortcoming.
More than 3 grams of sugar in 100 grams of food is considered 'high sugar'.
According to the proposal, any solid food containing more than 3 grams of added sugar per 100 grams will be considered high in sugar. Similarly, a 100-gram serving of food containing more than 4.2 grams of added fat will be considered high in fat, and a 100-gram serving of salt containing more than 0.625 grams will be considered high in salt. Separate limits have also been set for children's favorite drinks. These limits will be applied to drinks containing more than 2 grams of added sugar, more than 1.5 grams of fat, and more than 0.175 grams of salt per 100 ml. This means that children's food will now be evaluated based on these numbers.
Simply put, food will no longer be considered unhealthy simply because it contains too much sugar or salt. The proposed regulations will establish a set standard for this. This could make it easier to monitor and enforce food sold in schools. FSSAI says these limits have been set keeping in mind the ICMR's Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024.
Increasing obesity in children is also a big concern
This move is also driven by concerns about the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2026, approximately 41 million children in India are affected by overweight or obesity. This means the issue is not limited to school canteens. Concerns about children's eating habits and their health are growing. In July, the 'Let's Fix Our Food' initiative, led by the ICMR's National Institute of Nutrition, also highlighted the need to strengthen regulations regarding school food, advertising, labeling, and taxation.
Strictness regarding food in schools in Maharashtra too
Last month, Maharashtra issued an order regarding such food in schools. Under this order, the sale, free distribution, and advertising of food items high in fat, sugar, and salt was banned inside schools and within 50 meters of school premises. It also mandated FSSAI licenses or registration for school canteens. This order applies to approximately 1.08 lakh schools in the state.
Questions may also arise regarding salt and sodium
There's also a technical issue with the draft. The initial reference is to excess sodium, while the subsequent limit is based on salt. The two are not the same thing. Salt contains approximately 40 percent sodium. Therefore, this discrepancy in the recommendations on the draft could raise questions.
What should parents understand right now?
The most important thing is that this FSSAI proposal is just a draft. This means that no new rules have been implemented in schools at this time. Following the publication of the draft in the gazette, objections and suggestions have been sought from the public, with a 60-day deadline. If implemented, this proposal could provide a clear standard for monitoring the food served to children in schools.
The issue of labelling packaged food is different.
Meanwhile, a separate case is ongoing in the Supreme Court regarding the labeling of packaged food. In this case, FSSAI filed an affidavit on August 3rd, calling for a nutrition table to replace warning signs on packages. However, this draft, which sets limits on high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods for school children, is separate from that case.