The CSE’s Environment Monitoring Laboratory (EML) tested salt, fat, trans fats and carbohydrates in 33 popular junk food
Most packaged food and fast food items being sold in India contain “dangerously” high levels of salt and fat in them, according to a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
The report says, “The levels of salt and fat in the foods to be much higher than the thresholds set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). It further claimed that the thresholds have been drafted by the FSSAI but not notified yet.”
CSE terms HUL’s Knorr and Nestlé’s Maggi, Too Yumm chips, Haldiram’s Classic Nut crackers, and samples at McDonald’s, Burger King, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Subway with extremely high salt levels.
Sunita Narain, CSE director general probed the FSSAI stressing that consumers have the right to know what is contained in the package and alleged that FSSAI for not taking the right step as it was under pressure from the powerful food industry. This is not acceptable.
The CSE’s Environment Monitoring Laboratory (EML) tested salt, fat, trans fats and carbohydrates in 33 popular junk foods, which include 14 samples of chips, namkeen, instant noodles and instant soup and 19 samples of burgers, fries, fried chicken, pizza, sandwich and wraps. It has previously released findings on pesticides in soft drinks, potassium bromate in bread and antibiotics in honey and chicken.