Food Industry and consumer activists are always at loggerheads regarding some of the practices being followed by the former which the latter consider as consumer unfriendly. Latest in this unequal bout is a treatise prepared in the US for consideration by the enforcement authorities containing some suggestions to improve the information content on the label and prevent unsubstantiated health claims.
"Just as the year is ending, the tireless consumer advocacy group CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) has sent a 158 page report to the FDA, entitled Food Labeling Chaos – the case for reform. In it, the organization claims that nutrition labeling today is insufficient, and that existing regulations are too lax to deal with the marketing brainpower of the food industry. If you have a nutrition label addiction like we do, this report is awesome. The authors break the issues down into 3 areas: improving the nutrition facts panel, improving ingredient labels and stopping false and misleading health-related claims. They provide examples, from a wide range of product by Kellogg's , Nestlé, Gerber, Minute Maid, and others of why regulatory changes are needed ASAP":
The comprehensive suggestions are note worthy and the instances cited in this report, though applicable to the US industry, are nonetheless useful to India also while improving the consumer perception about processed foods. FSSAI can learn a lesson or two from the report, if it has any serious concern about the safety and well being of Indian consumers.
V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment