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Urges National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management-K to lead innovation
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM-Kundli) recently organised a one-day workshop titled SWASTH (Stakeholders Workshop on Actionable Strategies for Tackling HFSS and UPF). The workshop focussed on “Shedding Light on Science, Consumption, and Choices in Modern Food.”
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Subrata Gupta, Secretary, MoFPI, emphasised that in today’s fast-paced world, health and diet have become more important than ever. He noted a growing public consciousness around wellness, as evident from the increasing use of smartwatches to track daily physical activity. However, he pointed out a critical oversight and said, “While we keep track of how many steps we walk each day, we often fail to monitor how much energy or how many calories we consume every day.”
Dr Gupta encouraged NIFTEM-K to lead the development of a smartwatch-like device capable of measuring an individual’s daily calorie or energy intake. Referring to global health trends, he cited WHO and MCI data, which indicate that two-thirds of global deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He also highlighted pressing concerns such as food adulteration in processed products and large-scale food wastage, and called for collective innovation and action to tackle these issues. Dr. Gupta also asked NIFTEM-K to organise this kind of event regularly.
Dr Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director, NIFTEM-K in his welcome note, announced that the institute will soon propose the inclusion of chapters on food processing in NCERT textbooks. The initiative aims to educate children about healthy eating habits from a young age.
Referencing traditional Indian wisdom, Dr. Oberoi remarked: “Food be the medicine,” echoing time-tested remedies passed down by grandmothers. He added that NIFTEM-K, in collaboration with FSSAI is willing to work actively to standardise and notify methodologies for determining added sugar in food products—bridging the gap between traditional knowledge and modern science.
Dr Ravinarayan Acharya, DG, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), spoke on the traditional principles of Ayurveda during the workshop. He stated that the Ministry of Ayush is working closely with FSSAI, various central ministries, and state governments to ensure the safety, quality, and healthfulness of food products.
Dr Satyen Panda, Executive Director (R&D) and Advisor (QA, FSSAI), addressed the risks associated with HFSS (High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar) and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). He noted that adulteration is widespread in many processed items and emphasised the need for a balanced and scientific approach to combat this growing concern effectively.
Dr Priyanka Bansal, Sceintist-E, ICMR highlighted the different guidelines issued by ICMR from time to time and also about different schemes of ICMR for anaemia, addressing nutrient deficiency etc.
Ashim Sanyal, CEO, Consumer VOICE, emphasised the urgent need to define HFSS in the Indian context and advocated for the accelerated adoption of scientifically validated Nutrient Profiling Models (NPMs) tailored to national dietary and public health needs and earliest implementation of FoPNL.
The second session, titled Science Beyond HFSS and UPF: Presentation of FAQs, was led by experts from academia and research.
Dr Komal Chauhan, Dean (Research), NIFTEM-K, highlighted that the blanket assumption that all processed foods are harmful is incorrect and called for nuanced, evidence-based discussions.
Dr Heena Yadav, Asst Prof, NIFTEM-K presented a comprehensive FAQ document on HFSS and UPF, elaborating on the NOVA classification system and outlining the next steps, including wider consultations and submission of the report to the MoFPI. Adding to the academic perspectives, Dr Seema Puri, University of Delhi urged for greater reliance on India’s scientific institutions, such as ICMR, rather than depending exclusively on foreign literature. She underscored the importance of meta-analytical research on HFSS, along with portion control and moderation, as essential strategies in the prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Dr Swati Bhardwaj from a Public Health Organization “Resolve to Save Lives” further stressed the need to establish standardised portion sizes across food categories to better guide consumers and policymakers alike.
The third session focussed on the food industry’s perspective, bringing together experts from regulatory, legal, and allied sectors. Leading companies such as ITC, Marico, Nestlé India and Jadli Foods India, along with industry associations like FICCI, CII, PBFIA, India Honey Alliance, and IFBA shared their views and concerns regarding HFSS foods and UPF. There was broad consensus on the need for robust clinical trials and strong scientific evidence before formulating or implementing HFSS and UPF-related policies that could significantly impact both public health and the food industry.
During the discussion, industry representatives urged policymakers to consider a serve-size-based regulatory model and called for a comprehensive national nutrition survey to better understand actual dietary habits and the health needs of India’s diverse population.
Associations also emphasised the importance of moving beyond emotional rhetoric to focus on the scientific and economic contributions of the Indian food processing sector.