New Delhi, October 17: India’s food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has proposed to ban sucrose and fructose in food products intended for infants up to 6 months of age. According to a draft amendment in the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026, this is aimed at reducing exposure to added sugars like sucrose and fructose.
This measure is aimed at boosting early childhood health. In the existing Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, sucrose and fructose were permitted upto a specific limit.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has opened the draft notification for a 60-day public consultation, during which the FSSAI will evaluate feedback, objections, and representations from industry stakeholders, healthcare experts, and the public before finalizing the statutory amendments
With growing public health concerns contributing to the incidence of childhood obesity and early-onset metabolic disorders, this ban is aimed at boosting natural nutritional intake during the critical developmental window for children.
Besides this, the stringent rules align with global health recommendations that encourage exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months without unnecessary sugar additives for infants.
