FSSAI Health Star Rating

February 24, 2022

Consumers will soon be able to tell whether their food packaging is harmful or healthy and nutritious. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), packaged food goods will soon display a ‘health star’ as part of the new system.

Overview:

This system will be similar to the one that is being used by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency for assessing the energy efficiency in electrical devices.
The packaged foods will have number of stars displayed on them which will indicate whether the item is healthy or unhealthy.
The amount of fats, sugar, and salt in the food item will be used to determine the rating.
A study was conducted by IIM Ahmedabad regarding the methodology to be used to display the health ratings of the food items
The display of star ratings was recommended in this study as it would be easier for the customer to understand.
It has been decided that the ratings will be placed in front of the packets as studies show that this method is much more effective towards affecting the choice of the consumer.

Why was this decision taken by FSSAI?

The study showed that energy-dense foods are readily available in the country which is leading to non-communicable diseases and obesity in India, which is why the FSSAI began looking for ways to educate consumers about the nutrition profile of the food they are consuming.

About FSSAI

The FSSAI was established as a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. FSSAI was formed under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, which is an act related to food regulation and safety in the country. FSSAI is in charge of promoting as well as protecting public health in the country by effectively regulating food safety. Its headquarter is located in New Delhi and Rajesh Bhusan is the Chairperson. Arun Singhal is the CEO of this organization.

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