Understanding FSSAI’s Star Rating System

FSSAI, with the aim of promoting healthier eating habits, proposed the draft regulations for front-of-package labelling (FOPL), known as the “health-star rating system”. This system rates a product on a scale of 1/2 to 5 stars based on its nutritional content.

• The star rating system was first proposed by the food safety authority in 2018, specifically for high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) products.
• The Health Star Rating system offers a simple and easy-to-understand method for consumers to compare similar packaged foods.
• The primary goal of this star rating system is to assist consumers in making healthier choices by simplifying the comparison of nutritional profiles of different packaged foods.
• The system is designed to guide consumers towards reducing their consumption of unhealthy foods, such as HFSS and ultra-processed food products.

Learn more about the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in the linked article.

Assessing the Effectiveness of the FSSAI Star Rating System

• The draft regulations have received a varied response from different sections of society.
• Health activists and NGOs have shown support for the star rating system and are advocating for more stringent warning labels for HFSS products.
• Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), a nutritional policy group, has called for a policy framework to restrict aggressive marketing of HFSS and ultra-processed food products, coupled with mandatory front-of-the-pack warning labels.
• Conversely, many local food companies, particularly MSMEs, have expressed reservations about the new regulations, fearing that the health star rating system may negatively impact India’s traditional and ethnic food sector.
• A 2022 study by the Indian Sellers Collective highlighted that the current health star ratings could potentially “discredit” Indian ethnic food.
• The report suggests that traditional Indian products such as Mysore Pak, Peanut Chikki, Instant Poha and Mathura Peda may be rated as low as 0.5 stars (least healthy) , while sweets like Patisa and Soan Papdi may only receive 1 star.
• In countries like Australia, the implementation of the health star rating system is voluntary, while in Chile, it is mandatory.
• FSSAI officials have stated that they will engage in discussions with all stakeholders before finalizing the decision.
• As per the current FSSAI proposal, once the regulations are finalized, the star rating norms will be voluntary for a period of four years.