Nestlé India, which has been accused of adding 'added sugar' to baby food sold in some South Asian (including India), African and Latin American countries, claimed that it has been trying to reduce the amount of added sugars and has reduced it by up to 30% in the last 5 years.
"Reduction of added sugars is a priority for Nestlé India. Over the past 5 years, we have already reduced added sugars by up to 30%, depending on the variant. We regularly review our portfolio and continue to innovate and reformulate our products to further reduce the level of added sugars, without compromising on nutrition, quality, safety, and taste," the company told Business Today on Thursday.
Sweetening agents like syrups added to processed foods and drinks, known as added sugars. They are deemed more harmful than the natural sugars present in fruits and milk.
The food and beverage giant Nestle further claimed that products manufactured in India are in full and strict compliance with CODEX standards (a commission established by WHO and FAO) and local specifications.
"Compliance is an essential characteristic of Nestlé India and we will never compromise on that. We also ensure that our products manufactured in India are in full and strict compliance with CODEX standards (a commission established by WHO and FAO) and local specifications (as required) pertaining to the requirements all nutrients including added sugars," the company stated.
Earlier in the day, a report by a Swiss NGO, Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), claimed that the baby food sold in some of the countries were found to be over and above international food safety guidelines. Around 150 baby products sold in different counties were examined by a Belgian laboratory. The report was first published by The Guardian.
"We would like to assure you that our Infant Cereal products, are manufactured to ensure the appropriate delivery of nutritional requirements such as Protein, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, Minerals, Iron etc. for early childhood. We never compromise and will never compromise on the nutritional quality of our products. We constantly leverage our extensive Global Research and Development network to enhance the nutritional profile of our products," the company said in its first response after the report was published.
The report claimed that its wheat-based product, Cerelac, for six-month babies, which is sold without any added sugars in the UK and Germany, contained 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving in India. The highest sugar content in the product was 6 grams in Thailand.
The 15 Cerelac products from India had an average of 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving. The sugar content was declared on the packaging in India. In the Philippines, five out of eight samples had the highest sugar content of 7.3 grams, but this information was not declared on the packaging, as reported.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends avoiding added sugars before age two to prevent addictive eating habits and a preference for sweet tastes in infants. Introducing sugar in baby food can lead to long-term health issues.