FSSAI draft would bar added sucrose and fructose in foods for infants up to six months

What is proposed

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published a draft that would prohibit adding sucrose and fructose to food products intended for infants up to six months of age, according to a PTI report carried by Kashmir Observer. The draft is titled the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026. Telangana Today (IANS) reports that it was published in the Gazette of India on October 16.

Several headlines refer to "baby food" in general. The draft text as reported covers only products intended for infants up to six months.

What the rules say now

The draft amends the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020. Business Today reports that it would insert a provision into Regulation 3(6). The existing regulations cover infant nutrition products for children from birth to 24 months. Under them, lactose and glucose polymers are the preferred sources of carbohydrate, and sucrose or fructose may be added only when needed as a carbohydrate source and within set limits, according to Kashmir Observer.

Who is affected and from when

The restriction as drafted applies to products for infants up to six months old, so it concerns manufacturers of such products. No effective date has been reported. None of the reports read describes other changes in the draft.

Business Today stresses that the proposal is a draft and not a final, enforceable ban. The draft is open for public consultation for 60 days, during which stakeholders can send objections and suggestions, and FSSAI will consider them before finalizing the amendment. Business Today says the 60 days run from when the notification became available to the public, and none of the reports gives a closing date.

The stated reasons

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the first six months of life are a critical period for growth and development, and that the proposal is in line with public health recommendations for exclusive breastfeeding during that period, as reported by Kashmir Observer. Business Today quotes the ministry as saying the proposal would help avoid the unnecessary addition of sugars in early infancy, and FSSAI as saying the aim is to reduce infants' early exposure to added sugars.

The Free Press Journal reports that excessive added sugar is linked to unhealthy weight gain and tooth decay as children grow older, that regular exposure to sweet foods may shape taste preferences, and that these effects depend on the amount consumed, the product and the child's overall diet. It also distinguishes naturally occurring sugars, such as those in breast milk, from added sugars in processed products. Kashmir Observer adds that the proposal is linked to broader goals including reducing childhood obesity risk.

What happens next

The 60-day consultation is the next step. FSSAI has not said when a final amendment would be notified.