Quick answer: Read a food label in this order: 1) the serving size and how many servings are in the pack, 2) the per 100 g column, which is the only fair way to compare two products, 3) sugars, saturated fat and sodium, and 4) the ingredient list, which is sorted from the largest ingredient to the smallest. Front-of-pack warning labels for sugar, salt and fat are still a proposal in India, so for now the back of the pack is where you have to look.
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A packet can say “high protein”, “no added sugar” or “multigrain” on the front and still be mostly sugar and refined flour. The facts are on the back. This guide shows what an Indian food label must tell you, how to compare products, which claims have rules behind them, and what is changing. Facts were checked on 25 October 2026.
On this page
The four things on every pack worth reading
1. Serving size and servings per pack
The nutrition table is shown per 100 g or 100 ml, and often per serve as well. The serving size is chosen by the company. A small serving makes the per-serve numbers look low. A 200 g pack with a 30 g serving holds almost seven servings, but most people eat far more than one.
2. The per 100 g column
Every product must show nutrition per 100 g or 100 ml (or per single-consumption pack), according to the FSSAI labelling rules as summarised by a law firm. Because the base is the same for every product, this is the column to use when comparing two biscuits, two cereals or two sauces. Ignore the per-serve column when you compare.
3. Sugars, saturated fat and sodium
Energy, carbohydrate, sugars (with added sugar shown separately), fat (with saturated and trans fat), and sodium are the nutrients to scan. Sodium is not salt. Multiply sodium by about 2.5 to get the salt it equals.
4. The ingredient list
Ingredients are listed by weight, largest first. If sugar, refined flour (maida) or palm oil sits in the first three, that is what the product is mostly made of. Sugar also hides under other names.
| Name on the label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose | Different sugars |
| Glucose syrup, high fructose corn syrup, invert syrup | Sugar syrups |
| Maltodextrin | A starch-based sweet carbohydrate that behaves like sugar in the body |
| Fruit juice concentrate, honey, jaggery, molasses | Still sugars, even though they sound natural |
Other items printed on the pack
Under the 2020 Labelling and Display Regulations, a pack also carries a few other things worth knowing. This list comes from a secondary summary of the rules, so use it as a guide and not as legal text.
- Veg or non-veg mark: a green dot in a square for vegetarian food and a brown triangle in a square for non-vegetarian food.
- FSSAI licence number: a 14-digit number with the FSSAI logo on the front of the pack.
- Allergens: common allergens such as milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat and fish are highlighted below the ingredients. “May contain traces of” means the factory also handles that allergen.
- Dates: “Use by” for foods that spoil quickly, “Best before” for longer-lasting foods. Best before is about quality, not safety.
What front-of-pack claims actually mean
Claims are regulated, but the rules are narrower than the marketing suggests. According to FSSAI’s own claims page:
- “High in dietary fibre” may be used only if the product has at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g.
- “No added sugar” is allowed only if no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added. If sugars occur naturally, the pack must say it contains naturally occurring sugars. It does not mean the product is low in sugar.
- “No added salt” means no sodium salts or salt substitutes were added. The food can still contain sodium from other ingredients.
- “30 percent less sugar than regular biscuits” is a comparison. The claim must name the reference food and the size of the difference. 30 percent less of a lot is still a lot.
The numeric thresholds for claims such as “low fat” or “high protein” are set in FSSAI rules and differ by claim, so they are not listed here. Compare the per 100 g column instead.
Check your own packet
Type in the numbers from a pack. The tool shows what you take in when you eat your real portion, not the company’s serving.
Warning labels on the front: where things stand
Doctors and public health groups have asked for clear warnings on packs that are high in sugar, salt and fat. This is still unsettled, so here is the status as of 25 October 2026.
- July 2024: the Food Authority approved a proposal to show total sugar, salt and saturated fat in bold and larger type. It was put out for comments, and there is no sign that it is in force.
- 2026: FSSAI told the Supreme Court it proposes a red hexagonal warning, with words such as “High Sugar”, “High Salt” or “High Fat”, based on ICMR-NIN thresholds. In the first phase, products high in two or more of these would carry it. Single-ingredient foods such as ghee, oil, salt, sugar, jaggery and honey would be exempt. This is a proposal, not a rule.
- Late September 2026: a news report says the Supreme Court questioned FSSAI’s proposed 365-day voluntary timeline and reserved its judgment. The matter was still before the court when this guide was updated, so check the latest before relying on it.
Until a rule comes into force, do not expect a warning symbol. The per 100 g column and the ingredient list are the tools you have.
A 30-second routine in the shop
- Turn the pack over. Skip the front.
- Find the per 100 g column and read sugars, saturated fat and sodium.
- Compare it with the other pack on the shelf, using only per 100 g.
- Read the first three ingredients.
- Ask how much you will really eat, then use the tool above for that portion.
Frequently asked questions
Is sodium the same as salt?
No. Salt is sodium chloride. Multiply sodium by about 2.5 to get the salt it equals, so 400 mg of sodium is about 1 g of salt.
Does “natural” or “multigrain” mean healthy?
Not by itself. “Multigrain” only says that more than one grain is used. Check the ingredient list for how much refined flour and sugar the product contains.
Which column should I use to compare products?
Per 100 g (or per 100 ml). It is the same base for every product. Per serve depends on the serving size the company picked.
Is “no added sugar” the same as sugar free?
No. It means no sugar was added during making. The food may still contain sugars from fruit, milk or other ingredients.
This guide is general information about reading labels. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you manage diabetes, blood pressure or an allergy, follow your doctor’s advice.
Sources
View sources (6)
| Source | What it was used for |
|---|---|
| S.S. Rana & Co., “Pre-packaged food products and labelling regulations” ssrana.in | nutrition information per 100 g or 100 ml, notification of the Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 on 17 November 2020. |
| LegalRaasta, “Latest FSSAI labelling and packaging rules changes in 2026” legalraasta.com | veg and non-veg marks, licence number, allergens, date marking. A secondary commercial source, so verify against the gazette. |
| FSSAI Digest, “Claims” fssai-digest.fssai.gov.in | high fibre threshold, no added sugar and no added salt claims, comparative claims. |
| News On AIR, “FSSAI approves a proposal to display total sugar, salt and saturated fat in bold letters” (6 July 2024) newsonair.gov.in | Food Authority proposal, put out for comments. |
| Drishti IAS, “FSSAI proposes front-of-pack warning labels for packaged foods” (1 September 2026) drishtiias.com | red hexagon proposal, phases, exemptions. |
| Moneylife, “Why waste so much time? SC questions FSSAI’s 365-day voluntary timeline” moneylife.in | judgment reserved. News report on the hearing and the reserved judgment. |
