As junk food has no precise scientific definition, there is no clarity on which food items should be included in this category or how their sale should be regulated. Image for representation only
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The Keralam government will strengthen all legal measures to curb unhealthy eating habits among children and prevent excessive consumption of junk food, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said.
Keralam would approach the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) seeking clarity on the definition of HFSS (High Fat, Sugar and Salt) food and on the criteria for regulating their sale, he said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram.
As junk food has no precise scientific definition, there is no clarity on which food items should be included in this category or how their sale should be regulated. Foods containing high levels of fat, sugar and salt can be classified as HFSS, but clear criteria and guidelines are needed to fix the upper limits. At present, it is the absence of such criteria which is hampering efforts to draw up a list of HFSS food and to regulate its sales near schools.
On August 7, 2026, the FSSAI had published a draft regulation on this. The draft proposes that if solid food contains more than 4.2 g of fat, 3 g of sugar or 0.625 g of salt per 100 g, it should be considered as high levels. For liquid food, the “high” thresholds are fixed at 1.5 g of fat, 2 g of sugar and 0.175 g of salt per 100 ml, respectively.
Mr. Muraleedharan said that only when the draft regulation was finalised and incorporated into statutory rules would States have a clear legal standing to prepare a list of HFSS food and to ban or restrict their sale near schools. He added that the State would write to the FSSAI requesting that criteria be finalised without delay.
Eat Right programme
The government was implementing the Eat Right School programme to ensure safe, balanced and nutritious food in schools and to foster healthy eating habits among children. The programme was also being implemented in Model Residential Schools. Work was also under way to ensure hygiene, food safety standards and the availability of nutritious food in canteens in schools and hostels, the Minister said.
So far, the Eat Right School programme had been implemented in 169 schools. The SNF@School (Safe and Nutritious Food at School) programme, a nationwide initiative launched by the FSSAI to build a culture of safe, healthy, and wholesome food among school-going children, had been implemented in 2,500 schools.
Under the Eat Right Campus programme, safe and nutritious food would be ensured in canteens in colleges, universities, hospitals and government institutions and 456 institutions had received certification under this initiative.
Mr. Muraleedharan also stated that inspections were being held regularly and that legal measures were being taken against those violating food safety standards.
Published – October 20, 2026 10:49 pm IST
