New Delhi, October 17 (H.S.): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed prohibiting the addition of sucrose and fructose to food products formulated for infants up to six months of age. To this end, the authority has issued a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020.

On Saturday, FSSAI stated that the draft Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026, was published in the Gazette of India on October 16. The proposed amendment aims to restrict the use of added sugars in infant food products, taking into account the nutritional requirements appropriate to an infant’s age.

Under the existing regulations, nutritional composition, quality and safety standards are prescribed for various categories of infant nutrition products intended for children from birth to 24 months of age. The regulations identify lactose and glucose polymers as preferred sources of carbohydrates, while permitting the use of sucrose and fructose subject to specified limits.

The proposed amendment seeks to introduce an explicit prohibition on adding sucrose and fructose to food products intended for infants up to six months old. According to the draft, neither of these sugars will be permitted in products formulated for this age group.

The authority considers the first six months of life crucial for an infant’s growth and development. It therefore emphasises the importance of avoiding the unnecessary addition of sugars to infant nutrition products. The initiative is also intended to support broader efforts to reduce potential health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption at an early age, particularly childhood obesity and related health complications.

The proposal is consistent with established public health recommendations advocating exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life. FSSAI stated that strengthening the standards governing infant nutrition products would encourage manufacturers to formulate products that meet the specific nutritional requirements of young children.

The draft notification invites objections and suggestions from stakeholders. Responses may be submitted within 60 days from the date on which copies of the Gazette notification are made available to the public. After considering the submissions received within the prescribed period, FSSAI will finalise the amendment.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar