New Delhi: Sugar content in Bournvita has seemingly gone down by over 14 percent, months after a row erupted following a video claiming that the popular ‘health’ drink “miscommunicated” its “nutritional value” and sugar content on packaging.
Though Bournvita dismissed the video’s claims, and the video was dropped after a legal notice from its owner Mondelez India, the episode led to calls for greater accountability in the processed and packaged food industry.
The packages of Bournvita batches, which hit the market in December, showed 32.2 g added sugar per 100 g of the popular drink in comparison to 37.4 g earlier — a decline of 14.4 percent.
Mondelez India did not respond to a query on the decision behind reducing the sugar content, but sources in the multinational food giant said that it was part of an effort to make its products more “nutrient, healthy and suitable to local needs”.
“This process has been in the works for nearly 18 months, and we are doing a similar exercise in some other countries as well,” one of the sources said.
The development came nearly 6 months after sugar content in Maggi ketchup was reduced by 22 percent, indicating that some of the major food brands are responding to growing demand for better options.
“We are on a continuous journey towards innovating and renovating our products to increase their nutrient profile by adding ingredients like millets, whole grains, vegetables, micronutrients,” a Nestlé India spokesperson told ThePrint:
“A step in that direction was the reduction of sugar by 22 percent in Maggi rich tomato ketchup earlier this year. We believe that all our products can be part of a balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, pulses, and whole grain.”
But do these developments really indicate a shifting trend among the food business operators (FBOs) to offer more “responsible” products to Indian consumers?
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) chief executive Kamal Vardhan Rao thinks they do and also that it may be a result of its regular prodding.
“Over the last six months, we have been asking FBOs to rationalise high fat, salt and sugar content in their products. I am glad to know that some of them have responded positively by taking action,” he told ThePrint, adding that the others will be asked to follow suit.
The apex food safety regulator, however, clarified that it “does not give approval to the standardised products including the proprietary foods”.
Kolkata-based Revant Himatsingka, who had made the Bournvita video, pointed out that consumers are growing more demanding and aware and as a result, food makers are feeling obliged to show that they appreciate and acknowledge the changing behaviour.
“I am not saying that Bournvita reducing sugar content is a direct result of my video, but it is heartening to see that companies are appropriating sugar contents in order to win the confidence of the consumers,” he told ThePrint.
This, he said, was possible as people have now started to read labels, make a note of high fat, sugar and salt content, and flag concerns.
While packaged food may not be the healthiest option and should be avoided, Himantsingka said, the fact remains that they are here to stay given their convenience and easy availability.
“The least, therefore, should happen is that companies offer products that are more nutritious and less problematic.”
Also Read: FSSAI reconsidering plan to introduce front-of-pack Health Star Rating for packaged food items
‘Still a long way to go’
Most of the food products, which are packaged and sold as “healthy and nutritious”, have salt, sugar and fat at higher-than-recommended levels, said nutrition expert Dr Arun Gupta.
They also also come up with ‘misleading claims’ in advertisements, he added.
In September, Delhi-based nutrition think tank Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) came out with the analysis report of 43 packaged food items that showed all the products exceeded “nutrient-of-concern” thresholds, i.e., salt, sugar and fat at higher-than-recommended levels .
The NAPi, of which Gupta is a co-convener, found that none of the advertisements provided the most important information as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for a food product — the amount of sugar, salt, or saturated fat in it.
These worrying findings came in the backdrop of evidence linking the consumption of ultra-processed food with rising risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardio-vascular ailments and even cancer.
A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research, The Lancet last year, for instance, showed that there are now 101 million cases of diabetes in India, and 1 in every 4 individuals is either suffering from diabetes or is pre-diabetic or obese.
According to the NOVA system, which is the most prevalent food classification used over the last several years, ultra-processed foods are those with five or more ingredients and tend to include many additives and ingredients not ordinarily used in home cooking.
The additives include preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours. In addition, these products tend to have high amounts of added sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Meanwhile, the Nestle spokesperson said positive steps are being taken to offer “healthy” products to consumers. “Our priority is to grow a more nutritious part of our portfolio; and also to guide consumers towards balanced consumption. It is important to us to provide information and services to help people make informed food choices as part of a balanced diet,” he said.
To support this, he added, the company provides nutrition guidance to consumers through online platforms such as AskNestlé.
“Nestlé India voluntarily includes on its front of pack Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labelling that provides consumers transparent nutrition information in the context of a reference portion for energy and other key defined nutrients in relation to their daily needs.”
But, nutrition expert Dr Seema Gulati insists that foodmakers will have to do more in their efforts.
“One or two companies reducing sugar content in their popular products is a welcome initiative,” said Dr Gulati, the head of nutrition research group at Delhi-based non-profit National Diabetes, Obesity, and Cholesterol Foundation. “But foodmakers have a long way to go when it comes to reducing high saturated fat, salt and sugar contents from their offerings.”
“I see many companies offering bran cookies these days, for instance — which only have a negligible amount of bran filled with high amounts of sugar and fat — and consumers end up believing that they are eating something healthy,” she said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Majority of Indian consumers prefer front-of-pack label than FSSAI’s star rating, survey finds
Acknowledgement might be fine, it is no reason to be happy about as the food product remains extremely harmful by its very nature being ultra-processed and sugar is too high even after reduction. Only a regulation to ban advertisements and policy to put a front of the pack label can make some difference to the lives of people who are being mislead .