In the midst of a growing controversy surrounding its baby formula products, Nestle India reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the nutritional quality of its offerings. Following a recent report by Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network alleging the addition of sugar to its baby formula products in India, Nestle India faced strong criticism from industry stakeholders.
Responding to queries from Business Today, a Nestle India spokesperson stated, “We want 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.”
While the report claimed that Nestle adds nearly 2.2 grams of sugar per serving in its popular baby food Cerelac in India, the spokesperson clarified, “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.”
According to the report, Nestle’s Cerelac in India contains sugar, while the same product is manufactured and sold without any added sugar in countries like the UK and Germany. In Thailand, for example, Cerelac contains 6 grams of sugar per serving – nearly 2.5 times that in India. In Pakistan, added sugar is 2.7 grams per serving, or nearly 40% more than in India.
The Nestle India spokesperson emphasized, “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,” adding that “Nestlé India is committed to delivering the best nutrition to our consumers, which we have been doing for over 100 years and would always maintain the highest standards of Nutrition, Quality, and Safety in our products.”