India's Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) has proposed banning added sucrose and fructose in food for babies under six months old. Kolkata's Ei Samay reports that this is a proposed amendment and that the status of the final rule has yet to be confirmed.
According to the report, some baby foods on the market have previously been accused of containing added sugar, and action has been taken against certain brands. Under the proposal, infant foods could contain neither sugar nor added fructose or sucrose.
The first six months are the most critical period for a baby's growth, the report says. Nothing needs to be added for sweetness, and early exposure to added sugars can spoil eating habits and raise the risk of obesity and metabolic problems later.
The report also sets out doctors' general advice: only breast milk for the first six months, not even water without specific medical advice. After six months, soft rice and lentils, fish and fruit can be introduced gradually, but sugar or jaggery should not be added, and honey should not be given to babies under 12 months. The natural sugar in fruit does a baby no harm.
The report is by Ei Samay, Kolkata.
Photo: ProjectManhattan / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Source: Ei Samay
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