NEW DELHI, Sept 28 (Reuters) - India is witnessing an unprecedented food safety crackdown, with regulators forcing many local eateries and branded restaurants to suspend operations, while a push for front-of-pack warning labels has rattled the country's more than $100 billion packaged food industry.
India is a top growth market for global consumer giants such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mondelez and Nestle, and also thousands of small domestic sellers of traditional savouries and sweets.
Here's an explainer on why food safety is suddenly in the spotlight in India.
WHY IS FOOD SAFETY A CHALLENGE IN INDIA?
Consumers in India, the world's most populous nation, have long complained about poor hygiene at restaurants and cafes while food adulteration scandals frequently go viral on social media.
Street-food stalls, patronised by millions of Indians, are also often criticised for inadequate hygiene.
Since 2020, food inspectors have tested more than 100,000 samples annually, with roughly one in five found to be unsafe, substandard or lacking proper labels, government data shows. Nearly 8,000 food business licences have been cancelled in the last three years.
"In a country of 1.4 billion people consuming nearly 1.5 trillion meals every year, ensuring food safety is a monumental task," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said last month.
WHY IS REGULATORY ACTION IN THE NEWS?
The FSSAI and some state regulators have intensified checks, releasing regular public updates including photos and videos of raids that have drawn widespread attention online.
In one recent video, FSSAI showed inspectors raiding an unhygienic facility in northern Uttar Pradesh state and seizing 1,300 kg (2,900 pounds) of adulterated cottage cheese, or paneer, which is hugely popular in India among vegetarians.
The regulator has also taken action against some liquor firms including Diageo for improper labeling, as well as energy drink makers like Red Bull over how they promote the products.
HOW IS INDIA PUSHING STRICTER LABELLING, SCHOOL RESTRICTIONS?
Activists and officials have flagged concerns about obesity, especially among children. There were 180 million overweight or obese adults in 2021 in India, with the number projected to rise to 450 million by 2050, a study in the British medical journal the Lancet showed.
India has debated front-of-pack warning labels for years to flag high content of sugar, salt and fat, like those implemented in Chile and Mexico. But the measure has repeatedly stalled amid industry opposition. Pressure has intensified recently from health advocates, social media influencers and a Supreme Court case seeking stronger disclosure requirements.
A Reuters story in August also added to public anger and debate after it revealed India had yielded to industry lobbying in March when Coca-Cola and groups backing Nestle opposed warning labels.
The FSSAI recently proposed a red hexagonal stamp on labels for food products that are high in any two or more nutrients, but has made the proposal more stringent following protests by activists, saying a warning will now trigger even if one nutrient is high.
However, India's Supreme Court has questioned the government why it wants to "waste so much time" on fresh public consultations before adopting the stricter labels.
WHY IS THE INDUSTRY SO WORRIED ABOUT INDIA'S PLANS?
The regulatory effort on labelling also coincides with a push to ban sales of junk food inside and near schools. A top industry group however says compliance would be difficult as many schools are close to congested markets serving the general public, and will cause "loss of business and livelihood."
On labelling, food industry executives told Reuters the proposed thresholds for sugar, fat and salt are too strict and could result in warning labels appearing on a large share of packaged foods. A CEO of an Indian food firm said: "Everything will be red."
The All India Food Processors Association, which represents dozens of Indian and foreign food giants, says "the average Indian consumer is habituated to associating the colour red with the mandatory non-vegetarian identification mark", and the colour scheme should be reconsidered.
WHY IS ONE STATE FOOD SAFETY CHIEF GETTING CELEBRITY STATUS?
The most prominent food safety official currently in India is Tukaram Mundhe, food commissioner of Maharashtra state, whose inspections have targeted outlets operated by Domino's, Pizza Hut and McDonald's as well as upscale clubs and restaurants in and around Mumbai, the state capital.
His surprise raids and licence suspensions have drawn widespread public support, with authorities regularly publishing details of enforcement actions.
One of his most high-profile operations came late last month when his team raided a warehouse where expiry dates and nutritional information were being faked on labels of food products manufactured by PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola and Unilever for exports. Canada has said it is assessing any risk to imports.
(Reporting by Aditya Kalra; Editing by Miyoung Kim, Alexandra Hudson)
