Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to Ban Junk Food in Schools from December

New Delhi, November 12, 2019:

Junk food such as colas, chips and even instant noodles may be banned from the schools and vendors close to schools from December, onwards.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a draft regulation to ban the selling . The draft title Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2019 is a 10 point charter that prohibits sale and even

promotion of unhealthy food items in schools and near by schools.

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The complete list of proposed changes and recommendations are listed below. Apart from

banning junk food in schools, FSSAI has asked schools to ‘adopt a comprehensive program

for promoting Safe food’.

The Ten-point Charter of this regulation as released by FSSAI on November 4, 2019 is listed below.

• Schools, FBOs contracted by School Authority for selling or catering school meals and FBOs contracted by Department of School Education for operation of the Mid-Day Meal scheme would be required to obtain a registration or licence that complies with the mandated sanitary and hygiene requirements under schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) regulations, 2011.
• Blanket ban on selling on foods high in fat, salt and sugar or HFSS (includes junk foods like colas, chips, instant noodles and other packed foods) in schools or to school children inside school canteens/ mess premises/ hostel kitchens or within 50 meters of the school campus.
• Adopting a comprehensive program to encourage healthy eating habits and Safe food and Healthy diets amongst school children. The draft also proposes converting school campuses  into ‘Eat Right School’ which focusses on safe, local, seasonal foods and emphasize on no food wastage.
• Schools to be encourages to promote consumption of a balanced diet in schools as per

  National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) guidelines.

• Schools would also be required to check that the vendors supplying prepared means are

  doing so basis the general guidelines set by FSSA or the Commissioners of Food safety.

• Schools to periodically engage nutritionists, dieticians to assist in the preparation of menu for the children.
• HFSS foods are also barred from advertising such products to school children ithin school

  premises or 50 meters from school campus.

• Ban on support or marketing (including through logos, brand names, posters, textbook

  covers etc) or giving away free samples of foods which are low in nutrition anywhere on

  school campus.

• FSSAI also proposed regular inspection of premises to ensure safe, healthy and hygienic

  food is being served to students.

• A sub-committee is proposed to be created by the State Level Advisory Committee to

  monitor the implementation of the above said rules and regulations.

FSSAI has asked the stakeholders to review the draft and to provide suggestions within 30 days from the date of notification – that is by December 4. These regulations, the draft reads, would be finalized and implemented after that.

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