Samosa on health alert list: Add burgers, too, says Deora

The Union health ministry has recently proposed displaying sugar and oil boards as an initiative to promote healthier dietary habits in various settings.

According to the ministry's proposal, these boards will serve as visual behavioural nudges in schools, offices, public institutions etc. displaying key information about hidden fats and sugars in everyday foods."Placing greater stringent regulations on unhealthy foods like jalebi, like samosa, this is a welcome step," Deora told ANI.

"As chairman of the Parliament Subordinate Legislation Committee, which has members of parliament from all parties, we are at present examining this very issue. Along with the agency called the FSSAI which is the food regulator in our country," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

"And we are examining how the food regulator can be more stringent to ensure that the average consumer in India makes more informed choice when buying product for the family members."

"One of our recommendations in the last few meetings that we had with members of the Ministry of Health has been that while you want to regulate and you want to curb the consumption, or you want to make consumers aware of the unhealthy ingredients associated with foods like samosa and jalebi. We should also do that with western foods that are coming in market. We should also do that with burgers with pizzas, with donuts with other products that are being imported from the West," he said.

"Otherwise there will not be a level playing field, the small shopkeeper on the streets whose jalebi and samosa sales will be adversely affected. But large multinational chain like McDonalds...There should be a level playing field where consumers are aware of these harmful side effects," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

"...The state and central governments have imposed hefty taxes on cigarettes, yet people smoke. The government can only bring regulations to disincentivise people... The processed packaged juices are not fruit juices. They are sugar drinks. There is no difference between that drink and Coca-Cola. Some studies say that Coca-Cola is healthier than those drinks... I am confident that under the leadership of PM Modi and our dynamic Health Minister JP Nadda, soon Indian and Western junk food will be controlled in India's food sector..." Deora said.Departments/Offices/autonomous bodies and other public institutions/organizations under the Ministry have been asked to install oil and sugar board displays (Digital/ Static posters) in common areas (cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms and other public spaces) to raise awareness on harmful consumption.They are also asked to print health messages on all official stationery (letterheads, envelopes, notepads, folders, etc.) and publications to reinforce daily reminders on fighting obesity. -- PTI