Why Is FSSAI Cracking Down On '100% Atta' And 'No Added Sugar' Claims?

When a packet of biscuits says "100% Atta" or "No Added Sugar", most shoppers are unlikely to question what those claims mean. India's food regulator, however, has issued a notice to SAJ Food Products over such claims on its Eat Fit Digestive Biscuits, following concerns that they may not accurately reflect the product’s composition.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has examined claims on the product’s packaging, including "100% Atta", "No Added Sugar" and "Digestive". According to The Times of India, the regulator raised questions after reviewing the ingredient declaration and asked the company to respond to the findings.

The action has also drawn attention because similar claims are widely used across packaged foods, making the case relevant beyond a single brand.

What triggered FSSAI's latest action?

The action followed a consumer complaint against SAJ Food Products' Eat Fit Digestive Biscuits. According to The Times of India, FSSAI examined the product’s ingredient list and questioned the claim "100% Atta" after it reportedly found that whole wheat flour accounted for around 72.33 per cent of the formulation.

The regulator also sought clarification on the "No Added Sugar" claim because the ingredient list reportedly included maltodextrin and glucose syrup solids. In addition, it asked the company to provide evidence supporting the use of the term "Digestive".

What do '100% Atta' and 'No Added Sugar' legally mean?

On 29 May 2025, FSSAI issued an advisory titled "Discontinuation of use of the term '100%' on food labels and promotional content". The advisory states that the term "100%" is not defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act or its regulations and may create a misleading impression about a product’s composition or purity. It asked food businesses to discontinue its use on labels and advertising.

Under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, the claim "No Added Sugar" refers to sugar not being added during manufacturing. It does not necessarily mean that the product contains no sugars or no ingredients that may contribute to sweetness or carbohydrate content.

Can brands make such claims if other ingredients are present?

Food businesses are permitted to make claims on packaging, provided they comply with labelling and advertising rules under FSSAI regulations and are not misleading.

According to NDTV Food, FSSAI’s notice questioned the claims "100% Atta", "No Added Sugar" and "Digestive" on the product packaging and asked the company to justify them with supporting evidence.

The regulator has also sought clarification on whether the claims are consistent with the ingredient declaration and formulation of the product.

How can consumers spot misleading food labels?

The ingredient list on a packaged food product provides a breakdown of what it contains, listed in descending order by weight. The nutrition information panel provides details on sugar, fat and salt content.

Claims such as "100%", "natural", "healthy" or "digestive" appear prominently on packaging but are not substitutes for the ingredient list or nutrition information. Consumers can compare front-of-pack claims with the detailed label information to better understand the product composition.

Could more packaged food brands face scrutiny?

According to Business Standard, the SAJ Food Products case forms part of FSSAI’s broader focus on claims used in packaged food labelling, following recent regulatory actions and advisories related to labelling practices.

Whether similar notices are issued to other companies will depend on individual products and the claims made on their packaging. FSSAI reviews such claims based on compliance with labelling and advertising regulations and supporting documentation provided by manufacturers.