Most parents pick a tin of baby food by the brand they trust. Few turn it around and read the ingredient list. Last week, India's food regulator gave them a reason to.
FSSAI has proposed that sucrose and fructose should not be added to products meant for babies up to 6 months old, ANI reported, citing an official press release. If you are wondering what this means for sugar in baby food, here is the short version:
- It is a draft, not a final rule. FSSAI is taking public comments for 60 days.
- It covers only products for babies up to 6 months.
- For older babies, the current rule stays: sucrose and fructose can be added only when needed, within a limit.
- India's own dietary guidelines go much further: no added sugar for children under 2.
What has FSSAI proposed on sugar in baby food?
The draft is called the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026. It was published in the Gazette of India on 16 October, Business Today reported. The key line is short: "sucrose and fructose shall not be added in the products intended for infants up to the age of 6 months."
Why now? According to the press release quoted by ANI, the aim is to limit babies' early exposure to added sugars, including risk factors linked to childhood obesity. The release also says the move supports the advice to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months.
One thing to be clear about: nothing has been banned yet. As Business Today put it, the proposal "should not be treated as a final, enforceable ban." FSSAI will look at the comments it receives before it finalises the change.
Which baby foods does the draft cover, and which does it leave out?
To understand this, you need to know how FSSAI groups baby foods. Its Foods for Infant Nutrition Regulations list several types, each meant for a different age:
So what is the "current limit"? Under the existing regulations, lactose and glucose polymers are the preferred carbohydrates in baby food. Sucrose and fructose "shall not be added, unless needed as a carbohydrate source", and together they cannot be more than 20% of the total carbohydrate.
There is one more detail most parents never see. The same regulations give examples of packaged traditional foods for infants, and the first one is mashed lentils, cereals and dry fruits "sweetened with sugar or jaggery or honey". That is a big gap between what the rules allow and what India's nutrition experts advise, which brings us to the next question.
Can babies have sugar? What ICMR-NIN says
The answer from ICMR-NIN is simple: no added sugar before the age of 2. Its Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) say "No added sugar for children <2 years old", and in the diet charts for babies it says added sugar "must be totally avoided for children below 2 years".
A few other lines from the same guidelines are worth knowing:
- First 6 months: "Avoid feeding honey, glucose, water, or dilute milk formula before initiation of breastfeeding and anytime during the first 6 months" (ICMR-NIN).
- When solids start: "Sugar or salt need not be added to complementary foods" (ICMR-NIN).
- Why it matters early: this is "the time when infants develop taste", so the guidelines advise against building a taste for foods high in salt or sugar (ICMR-NIN).
- Snacks and drinks: avoid foods like biscuits and cakes, and drinks like fruit juices and cool drinks, that have added sugar (ICMR-NIN).
The guidelines also say the benefits of home-made complementary foods "outweigh" those of commercially prepared ones. That does not mean packaged baby food is bad. It means simple home-made mashes of cereal, dal and vegetables, with no sugar added, like the ones in ICMR-NIN's own sample diet charts for babies.
How do you spot added sugar on a baby food label?
Start with the ingredient list, not the front of the pack. ICMR-NIN counts sucrose, jaggery, honey, glucose, fructose and dextrose as added sugars, as explained in our post on jaggery vs sugar. Here is what each name means on a baby food pack:
Two more things on the pack are worth a look. By law, baby food packs must carry an "IMPORTANT NOTICE" with the line "MOTHER'S MILK IS BEST FOR YOUR BABY", and infant food must say it should be introduced only after six months and up to two years, as per FSSAI's regulations. Check the age on the pack matches your baby's age.
The same habit helps with the rest of the family's shopping too. Our guide on hidden sugars in packaged juices shows how this works for drinks, and our post on FSSAI's red warning labels covers the other big labelling change FSSAI is working on.
Frequently asked questions
Is sugar banned in baby food in India?
No, not yet. FSSAI has only proposed a draft rule that sucrose and fructose should not be added to products for babies up to 6 months. It will be final only after FSSAI reviews public comments.
When can babies have sugar?
ICMR-NIN's 2024 guidelines say no added sugar for children under 2 years old.
Can I add jaggery or honey to my baby's food?
ICMR-NIN counts both jaggery and honey as added sugar, and advises no added sugar under the age of 2. It also specifically says to avoid honey during the first 6 months.
Does the new draft apply to cereal-based baby food?
Not as written. The draft line applies to products for babies up to 6 months. Cereal-based baby foods are meant for babies after 6 months, so the existing 20% limit on sucrose and fructose continues to apply to them.
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This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your paediatrician about what and how to feed your baby.
