New Delhi, October 17 (H.S.): In a significant step towards strengthening nutritional safeguards for infants, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s food regulator, has proposed prohibiting the addition of sucrose and fructose to food products intended for infants up to six months of age.

In a post on X on Saturday, the FSSAI stated that the proposal seeks to strengthen infant nutrition standards by restricting the addition of sucrose and fructose to food products formulated for babies up to six months old.

The regulator said a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, had been published. The draft proposes a ban on adding sucrose and fructose to specified food products intended for infants up to six months of age.

According to the FSSAI, the proposed amendment aims to protect infants from exposure to added sugars at an early stage of life. The measure is intended to safeguard children’s health and help prevent childhood obesity.

The draft Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on October 16, seeks to further strengthen the existing regulatory framework. The current regulations prescribe comprehensive standards for the nutritional composition, quality and safety of various categories of infant nutrition products intended for children from birth to 24 months of age.

Notably, under the existing food safety and standards provisions, lactose and glucose polymers are preferred sources of carbohydrates. Sucrose and fructose may be added only within specified limits and when required as sources of carbohydrates.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar