India Food Stats

Reuters has reported that the more than $100 billion packaged-food industry, through the All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA), filed a court submission (intervener’s affidavit) in the Supreme Court seeking review/re-examination of the planned FSSAI front-of-pack warning labels (red hexagonal labels for products high in added sugar, salt, and/or saturated fat). The filing argues that many staples risk being covered in warnings that “will tarnish the image of Indian food globally.”  AIFPA referred to its earlier submissions to the regulator claiming that nearly 80% of packaged-food products may fall into the high fat, sugar, or salt category under the proposed thresholds (based on per-100g/100ml absolute values drawn from ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines).  The 80% figure is the industry body’s own estimate/claim (not an independent verification), raised to argue the thresholds are too strict and need scientific re-examination in light of Indian dietary patterns, serving s...

Festivals in India are all about lights, laughter, and of course — gifts. The gifting game has evolved, and it’s fun to see how traditions mix with modern health trends. For decades, the safest bet was a box of assorted dry fruits and nuts. Almonds, cashews, pistachios, raisins — crunchy, classy, and guilt‑free.  Then came the avalanche of traditional sweet snacks — laddoos, barfis, jalebis, and syrup‑soaked delights — joined by foreign‑flavored themes like sugar‑loaded cookies and glossy boxed chocolates that feel more global than local. Tasty, yes. Waistline‑friendly? Not really. Everyone smiles when they receive them, but secretly wonders how much sugar they just signed up for. Now, healthier gifting is catching on. Imagine opening a festive box and finding an assortment of tea bags — Darjeeling, Assam, Tulsi green, or exotic herbal blends. It’s thoughtful and elegant. Image: Open Food Facts Health brands are hopping on the trend too. Protinex — usually seen as a serious high‑p...

Organic foods come from farming practices that focus on biodiversity, healthy soil, and chemical-free methods, all while taking an environmentally and socially responsible approach.  Tips for avoiding misleading “organic” claims from uncertified brands and identifying genuine organic products: 1.  Check the logo - Only certified organic foods can carry it. The FSSAI “Jaivik Bharat” initiative provides a unified certification and logo for organic foods in India, based on the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017 [^ PDF ].  Green circular mark with “Jaivik Bharat” tagline symbolizes compliance with national organic standards. The Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017 recognize two systems of certification i.e. Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) implemented by Ministry of Commerce and Industry 2.  Look for certifi...

There’s something comforting about a packet of coconut cookies. The name alone promises a little tropical escape in every bite. But one of the more interesting parts of modern snacking isn’t the crunch — it’s what happens when you actually flip the pack over. According to the product listing on Open Food Facts , the ingredients for Americana Coconut Cookies read: refined wheat flour (maida), sugar, refined palm oil, invert syrup, coconut powder (1.96%), leavening agents [503(ii) & 500(ii)], edible starch, edible common salt, emulsifiers [322 & 471], acidity regulator [450(i)], artificial flavouring substances (butter & coconut), and preservative (223). That it is a coconut cookie is technically correct but that 1.96% coconut powder figure is hard not to smile at. The cookies still deliver a clear coconut flavour, helped along by the artificial flavouring, while the bulk of the recipe is the familiar cast of flour, sugar and palm oil that most biscuits rely on. It’s a neat r...

A recent Reuters article points out that multinational food producers often make different versions of the same products to comply with local regulations, tastes and spending capacity . citing examples where the Indian versions of certain branded products are of lower quality: Fanta ingredients, nutrition table in UK Fanta soda retailed in India...contains artificial dye that is not present in the similarly-branded product sold in Britain. Fanta in India; Images - Open Food Facts Indian standard KitKats have ​4.5% cocoa solids, while the milk chocolate in the Australian version contains at least 22% cocoa.  All variants of Nestle’s Maggi instant noodles sold in India are made with palm ​oil, whereas many versions sold in Britain use pricier sunflower oil. Many of the Maggi packets sold in Britain are made in India, but they carry red front-of-pack labels warning of their high salt content. Nestle in 2024, for instance, announced it would start ​selling sugar-free Cerelac baby food ...