India's Nutrition Labels: What's Required and What's Missing

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Nutrient profiling involves classifying or ranking foods based on their nutritional content to prevent disease and promote health. Notable nutrient profile models applicable to Asia and India include the Australasian Health Star Rating (HSR) and the WHO South East Asia Region (WHO SEAR) Nutrient Profile Model (NPM).

To work optimally, nutrient profile models rely on the availability of comprehensive nutrition information. 

In India, national nutrition labelling legislation generally only requires the display of energy content (in kilocalories), protein, carbohydrates, total sugars and total fats. Amounts of other nutrients are only required where a nutrient content claim is made.

The table below from the ATNI-TGI India Product Profile 2023 [^PDF] shows the alignment of nutrients required for the Health Star Rating and WHO SEAR with those required by Indian labelling legislation

Fiber is a notable omission, missing from the list.

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