Manufacturers to label all food products: Delhi High Court

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the government to disclose the items used in the manufacturing of food products, specifically whether they are plant-based, animal-based or chemical-based. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said that everyone has a right to know what he or she is consuming.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Ram Gau Raksha Dal seeking the formulation of guidelines to make it mandatory for food manufacturers to label all consumable items according to the ingredients used in them. Disclosure should entail the exact specifications of the source and ingredients in simple, layman’s terms. It pointed out that the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, did not account for this aspect, the court said.The matter will now be heard next on January 31.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor-General Chetan Sharma told the High Court that the Centre needs more time as inter-ministerial coordination need to be done. The petition was filed through Advocate Rajat Aneja who sought directions from the High Court for Centre to set-up a committee to examine the possibility of labelling all consumables.