Sale of junk food within 50 metres of school campus banned: FSSAI

If you are a school goer, who loves to relish junk food from school canteen during lunch break, there is bad news for you. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI ) has recently issued an order which restricts the sale of junk and unhealthy food in canteens of schools and other educational institutions. This is not the first time that this issue has been addressed, in 2015, the Delhi High Court had ordered FSSAI to regulate junk food being sold in school canteens.

The aim is to ensure that school kids get safe and wholesome food. The FSSAI has restricted the sale of junk and unhealthy food in canteens of schools and other educational institutions. It’s a first of its kind, where FSSAI has pushed in new regulation under the Food Safety and Standard Act which aims to provide a safe, nutritious and healthy diet for school children.

In a statement to ANI, FSSAI has said, "The idea is to provide safe food and balanced diet for children in schools. Foods which are referred to as foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) cannot be sold to schoolchildren in school canteens or mess premises or hostel kitchens or within 50 metres of the school campus.”

Apart from this, FSSAI has also prohibited the sale and advertisement of unhealthy food within 50 metres of the school premises.

According to reports, the municipal authorities and state administration will do regular inspection at the school premises to ensure that kids are served safe, healthy and hygienic food.

While schools haven’t reacted to the same till date as the date of implementation of order is still awaited. The FSSAI official has strictly mentioned that school authorities will have to follow balanced diet guidelines by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).