Colour coding for solid and semi-solid food from June

Minister of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine Dr Rajitha Senaratne says that regulations to introduce colour coding for sugar, salt and fat contained in solid and semi-solid food items will come into effect from June 01, 2019.

The regulation made by the Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, under Section 32 of the Food Act, No. 26 of 1980, in consultation with the Food Advisory Committee, have been published in the Extraordinary Gazette on April 17 and is cited as “The Food (Colour coding for Suger, Salt and Fat) Regulations – 2019”.

The primary objective of introducing the regulation is to serve as a guide for the people suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCD), whose numbers are currently growing in the country, when choosing food based on levels of sugar, salt and fat contained and also to create an awareness among the general public with regard to food.

The ministry says that all necessary steps have been taken for the displaying of colour codes for sugar, salt and fat contained in solid or semi-solid food manufactured after June 01.

The gazette states that no person shall package, sell, expose for sale, or advertise any solid or semi-solid food which contains specified amounts of sugar, salt and fat unless such food is labeled in the manner as specified in these regulations.

According to the ministry, the exemptions for this regulation are:

• Any primary agricultural product,(cereals, vegetables, fruits, oil, salt, sugar, meat, fish, milk)
• Spices, condiments , curry mixtures or flavoring mixtures sold in separate package
• Single ingredient products such as packaged/bottled drinking water, tea, coffee;
• Foods that are recommended by a medical practitioner where the label prominently displays that it is to be used under medical guidance or on the recommendation of a medical practitioner;
• Bulk packs, where the retail packs contained therein complies with these regulations
• Infant Milk formula