No, India's street food culture not the target: Health Ministry clears the air on samosa, jalebi

The Health Ministry on Tuesday issued a clarification stating that its recent workplace advisory is not aimed at India's street food culture, nor does it mandate warning labels on traditional snacks like samosas, jalebis, or laddoos.

"There have been some media reports claiming that the Union Health Ministry has directed to issue Warning Labels on food products such as samosa, jalebi and laddoo. These media reports are misleading, incorrect, and baseless,” the Ministry said.

The ministry said it had separately issued an advisory, which is an initiative towards making healthier choices at workplaces. "It advises about display of Boards in various workplaces such as lobbies, canteens, cafeterias, meeting rooms etc., to raise awareness on harmful consumption of hidden fats and excess sugar in various food items. These Boards are meant to serve as daily reminders on fighting obesity, the burden of which is sharply rising in the country.”

The ministry stressed that its advisory “does not direct Warning Labels on food products sold by vendors, and has not been selective towards Indian snacks. It does not target India's rich street food culture.”

“The general advisory is a behavioural nudge to make people aware about hidden fats and excess sugar in all food products and not specifically to any particular food product,” it said. It also included broader health messages such as promoting fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meal options, and encouraged physical activity like taking stairs, short exercise breaks, and providing walking routes in workplaces.

The advisory is part of the Health Ministry's larger strategy under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), which focuses on lifestyle changes to address obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions linked to high fat and sugar consumption.

The clarification comes after the advisory drew criticism online. Marketing expert Suhel Seth said: “Given a choice between samosas and some wretched food from McDonalds. I would stick to a samosa. Simple. Eat samosas. Stay healthy."