The sugar content in the cream biscuits that you and your child often relish may have more than the recommended quantity. Similar could be the case of the fat content as well, revealed an in-house study by city-based consumer body, Çonsumer Education and Research Centre (CERC).
The content details on biscuit packets were also found inaccurate.
Experts say despite a rule that the content in food products should be standardised, national food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has not come up with any such norms so far.
CERC tested samples of 10 brands of cream biscuits that were filled and/or coated. In filled biscuits, cream, jam or chocolate is sandwiched. Coated ones may be covered with chocolate or caramel.
In six of the 10 brands tested, the fat content was above 20g per 100g of biscuit. The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Indian Council of Medical Research, has recommended desirable visible fat intake per day of 20g for both men and women. Similarly, all the 10 brands contained more than 25g sugar per 100g biscuit.
It was also found that the actual fat content in at least three brands of biscuits was significantly higher than what their labels claimed. Another fact that came to the fore was that higher price did not ensure better quality — the two least expensive brands fared the best on the health parameters of the rating, according to the study.
HOW MUCH IS PERFECT
- NIN prescribes 20g per day fat intake for both men and women
- WHO prescribes 25g, or 6 teaspoons, per day sugar for men and women
