The category analysis of baby cereals products available in India was conducted by Xume after the publishing of a report by Swiss NGO, Public Eye
An analysis of 143 baby cereal products by Xume, a grocery rating and recommendation platform, revealed that 38 (26.6 per cent) products contain added refined sugar. Refined sugars in the form of Cane Sugar, Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Sucrose, Malt Extract, Organic Sugar, and Organic Brown Sugar, were found in 38 out of a total of 143 products analysed. A majority of the packaged food products analysed were in the 0 – 8 months age bracket, revealing that 16.3 per cent or 14 products contain added refined sugar. It was also found that almost 43 per cent of products add some form of sugar whether refined or natural (honey powder, jaggery, date powder).
The analysis was conducted in the wake of a report by Public Eye, a Swiss NGO, which stated discrepancies in the sugar content of a leading baby cereal product brand. As per the report, in low- and middle-income countries where it promotes its popular baby-food brands, there was a significant amount of added sugar versus the very same products containing no added sugar within its home country.
The Public Eye Report and Xume analysis highlight the need for high scrutiny and regulation to ensure improved public health. The WHO has already released multiple reports stating the link between excessive sugar consumption at an early age and the development of non-communicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes in later life.
With the FSSAI being notified by the Centre to investigate the Public Eye report, the question arises on the scale of these issues. FSSAI in its 2021-22 annual report, stated that more than 20 per cent of food samples analysed were discovered to be non-conforming. With the aid of the government, ethical brands and consumers, collective action is required to develop a comprehensive policy framework which can tackle such issues to facilitate label awareness and demand for healthier products.
Akshaye Jalan, Founder and CEO of Xume, added “We are seeing a tectonic shift in health awareness and demand for healthier food products. Now, more than ever, customers are actively seeking out brands and products that walk the talk. In the aftermath of the Public Eye report, we were inundated with questions about which baby products were safe for consumption. We were also humbled by the appreciation that we got for empowering parents with better and healthier options.”
Xume is also in the works to develop a transparency rating system which will share insights on over 1 lakh food products in conjunction with its already established product scoring system, which analyses over 64 parameters assigning a generalised health score based on ingredients and nutrition.