GURUGRAM: Nestlé India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan on Monday insisted that the company's baby food for children below 18 months is made on a global basis and the allegations that "it is racially stereotypical and unfortunate" Is" and is wrong.
Addressing reporters here, he said the sugar content in baby food is determined by its ability to meet the nutritional profile of a specific age group and is universal.
He said Nestle India's added sugar content in Cerelac is well below the upper limit set by FSSAI.
"There is nothing in this product that would make it a product that would pose any risk or cause any harm to a child," he said.
As far as Nestle is concerned, they said most of the sugars in the product are natural sugars.According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the permissible level of added sugar is 13.6 grams per 100 grams of feed.
“Nestlé is 7.1 grams, which is well below the standards and prescribed maximum,” Narayanan stressed.
Earlier this month, Swiss FMCG major Nestle was accused of selling products with high sugar content in less developed countries.
According to findings by Swiss NGO, Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), Nestlé sold baby products with higher sugar content in less developed South Asian countries, including India, and African and Latin American countries, compared to its markets in Europe. ,
Countering the allegations, Narayanan said every formulation for food for children below 18 months is made on a global basis."There is no local approach to studying nutritional adequacy...Globally, the recipes are designed in an era where growing children require energy dense products. So there is no difference between children in Europe and Is." A child, in India or any part of the world, completely adheres to the Codex requirement for Cerelac, Narayanan said.
How this formulation is converted into a product locally depends on "various considerations on local regulatory requirements, on local availability of raw materials, on certain maternal dietary habits," he said.
“I would also like to add here clearly that (both) added-sugar products and no-sugar products exist in Europe as well as Asia.So this unfortunate allegation that it is racially stereotypical is unfortunate.. untrue,” she said.
Explaining the rationale behind the added sugar content in Nestle's baby foods in India, Narayanan said that the "nutrition profile" to be met can be different and the ingredients can also be different.
“We need it in India, that's why we added it, but this level is also much lower than the level specified by the local regulators and I think one has to have trust and confidence that the local regulator knows what is We're keeping it there, so, it's not a dramatic deviation,'' he said.
So, he said, "What we are saying is that, yes there is added sugar, this content is declared in our packs. There has been a 30 per cent reduction in the last five years and the journey ahead is to minimize it." Whatever it takes, reduce it.,
Furthermore, Narayanan said, “What is important for us is to develop a product for Indian babies that is compatible with global standards and that is our aim and it is done with levels of ingredients that are not harmful "
He acknowledged that food regulator FSSAI has sought information from Nestle India about the sugar content in Cerelac through "a set of questions".
The Codex is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations relating to food, food production, food labeling and food safety. India is also a part of the code committee.
According to a report by IMARC Group, the Indian baby food and infant formula market size is expected to reach US$ 5.4 billion in 2022 and reach US$ 8. billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.7 percent during 2023-2028. .
Nestle competes with other companies in India including Danone, Abbott Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation and Raptacos Brett in this fast-growing baby food sector.
Addressing reporters here, he said the sugar content in baby food is determined by its ability to meet the nutritional profile of a specific age group and is universal.
He said Nestle India's added sugar content in Cerelac is well below the upper limit set by FSSAI.
"There is nothing in this product that would make it a product that would pose any risk or cause any harm to a child," he said.
As far as Nestle is concerned, they said most of the sugars in the product are natural sugars.According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the permissible level of added sugar is 13.6 grams per 100 grams of feed.
“Nestlé is 7.1 grams, which is well below the standards and prescribed maximum,” Narayanan stressed.
Earlier this month, Swiss FMCG major Nestle was accused of selling products with high sugar content in less developed countries.
According to findings by Swiss NGO, Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), Nestlé sold baby products with higher sugar content in less developed South Asian countries, including India, and African and Latin American countries, compared to its markets in Europe. ,
Countering the allegations, Narayanan said every formulation for food for children below 18 months is made on a global basis."There is no local approach to studying nutritional adequacy...Globally, the recipes are designed in an era where growing children require energy dense products. So there is no difference between children in Europe and Is." A child, in India or any part of the world, completely adheres to the Codex requirement for Cerelac, Narayanan said.
How this formulation is converted into a product locally depends on "various considerations on local regulatory requirements, on local availability of raw materials, on certain maternal dietary habits," he said.
“I would also like to add here clearly that (both) added-sugar products and no-sugar products exist in Europe as well as Asia.So this unfortunate allegation that it is racially stereotypical is unfortunate.. untrue,” she said.
Explaining the rationale behind the added sugar content in Nestle's baby foods in India, Narayanan said that the "nutrition profile" to be met can be different and the ingredients can also be different.
“We need it in India, that's why we added it, but this level is also much lower than the level specified by the local regulators and I think one has to have trust and confidence that the local regulator knows what is We're keeping it there, so, it's not a dramatic deviation,'' he said.
So, he said, "What we are saying is that, yes there is added sugar, this content is declared in our packs. There has been a 30 per cent reduction in the last five years and the journey ahead is to minimize it." Whatever it takes, reduce it.,
Furthermore, Narayanan said, “What is important for us is to develop a product for Indian babies that is compatible with global standards and that is our aim and it is done with levels of ingredients that are not harmful "
He acknowledged that food regulator FSSAI has sought information from Nestle India about the sugar content in Cerelac through "a set of questions".
The Codex is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations relating to food, food production, food labeling and food safety. India is also a part of the code committee.
According to a report by IMARC Group, the Indian baby food and infant formula market size is expected to reach US$ 5.4 billion in 2022 and reach US$ 8. billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.7 percent during 2023-2028. .
Nestle competes with other companies in India including Danone, Abbott Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation and Raptacos Brett in this fast-growing baby food sector.
