A parliamentary panel in India has called for tighter regulation of sugar in infant food products, raising concerns about child health and the nutritional quality of foods sold for babies and young children. The issue covers several product types marketed in India, including infant formula, cereal-based complementary foods, follow-up formula, and packaged traditional infant foods.
According to the recommendation, the regulatory framework should use clearly defined and scientifically derived sugar thresholds rather than broad or unclear standards. The panel wants those limits to be aligned with guidance from the World Health Organization and the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition.
The aim is to make sugar levels easier for consumers to understand at a glance. A threshold-based system could help parents and caregivers quickly recognize which infant food products contain higher amounts of sugar and make more informed choices when buying packaged foods for children.
The proposal also suggests that regulation should apply consistently across different infant food categories, not only formula products. By seeking stricter sugar rules for infant foods in India, the panel is placing greater focus on early nutrition standards and on clearer safeguards for child health.
