Is Your Child Eating Too Much Sugar And Salt? FSSAI Proposes New School Food Limits | All You Need To Know

FSSAI has proposed new thresholds to classify foods high in added fat, added sugar and salt for children in schools. Under draft 2026 amendment, solid foods exceeding specified limits could be classified as high in these nutrients.

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FSSAI proposes limits on high-fat, sugar and salt in children's food

Food sold to children in and around schools could soon face closer scrutiny, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposing specific limits for foods high in added fat, added sugar and salt.

The proposed rules are part of the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published as a draft notification in the Gazette of India on August 7, 2026.

बच्चों को मोटापे से दूर रखने के लिए बड़ी पहल

🚨 स्कूलों में बच्चों के खाने को लेकर @fssaiindia का बड़ा प्रस्ताव!

- FSSAI ने तय की High Fat, High Sugar और High Salt की सीमा👇

➡️ ठोस खाद्य: 100 ग्राम में 4.2 ग्राम से ज्यादा Added Fat होने पर ‘High Fat’
➡️ लिक्विड: 100 ml में 1.5… pic.twitter.com/i6rno0ogFM

— Ambarish Pandey (@pandeyambarish) August 11, 2026

The proposal seeks to amend the existing 2020 regulations on safe and balanced food for schoolchildren. It introduces specific numerical thresholds to identify foods that are high in added fat, added sugar or salt.

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What the proposed limits say

The draft rules distinguish between solid and liquid foods. For solid foods, the limits would be calculated for every 100 grams, while liquid foods would be assessed per 100 millilitres.

A solid food would be classified as high in added fat if it contains more than 4.2 grams of added fat per 100 grams. For liquid foods, the threshold would be more than 1.5 grams of added fat per 100 ml.

For added sugar, a solid food containing more than 3 grams per 100 grams would fall into the high-sugar category. For liquids, the proposed limit is more than 2 grams of added sugar per 100 ml.

The proposed salt limits are more than 0.625 grams per 100 grams for solid foods and more than 0.175 grams per 100 ml for liquids.

The thresholds have been proposed in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024, issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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Rules could affect food sold near schools

The move comes amid growing concerns around children's diets and the consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt. The existing 2020 regulations were introduced to promote safer and more balanced food choices for schoolchildren.

If finalised, the new thresholds would provide a clearer benchmark for identifying HFSS foods under the school food regulations.

However, the notification is currently a draft proposal, and the limits have not yet become final rules.

Image Credit : AI image - Gemini

FSSAI invites public feedback

FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders on the proposed amendment. The draft says the regulations will be considered after 60 days from the date on which copies of the Gazette notification are made available to the public.

The consultation will allow stakeholders to respond before the proposed amendment is considered for finalisation.

The move could eventually bring greater attention to the nutritional content of food available to schoolchildren, particularly products that are high in added fat, sugar or salt.