Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products

Nutrition and health (NH) claims are extensively used on food packages to convey health benefits of food products to consumers in India. However, Indian regulatory guidelines do not provide a detailed classification of NH claims. Hence, first comprehensive NH claim sub-types are identified by studyi...

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Main Authors: Vartika Chaudhary, Dinesh Sharma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:CyTA - Journal of Food
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2025.2520543
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author Vartika Chaudhary
Dinesh Sharma
author_facet Vartika Chaudhary
Dinesh Sharma
author_sort Vartika Chaudhary
collection DOAJ
description Nutrition and health (NH) claims are extensively used on food packages to convey health benefits of food products to consumers in India. However, Indian regulatory guidelines do not provide a detailed classification of NH claims. Hence, first comprehensive NH claim sub-types are identified by studying regulatory guidelines of various countries as well as the academic literature. Next, 1123 claims on 112 health-based packaged food products from India are analysed based on typologies identified. The results reveal a high occurrence of NH claims. Within NH claims, there was a higher presence of nutrition claims over health claims; components to encourage over limit; and non-numeric over numeric claims. Moreover, claim types that are popular in the market but have received limited research attention, such as numeric, non-addition, nutrient comparative, component to limit, and implied claims, are highlighted. This work can help Indian policymakers to re-evaluate and revise current claim guidelines.
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publishDate 2025-12-01
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spelling doaj-art-e48e44dc743645bbb20ec4688711d2672025-08-20T03:31:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCyTA - Journal of Food1947-63371947-63452025-12-0123110.1080/19476337.2025.2520543Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food productsVartika Chaudhary0Dinesh Sharma1Marketing, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai, IndiaMarketing, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, IndiaNutrition and health (NH) claims are extensively used on food packages to convey health benefits of food products to consumers in India. However, Indian regulatory guidelines do not provide a detailed classification of NH claims. Hence, first comprehensive NH claim sub-types are identified by studying regulatory guidelines of various countries as well as the academic literature. Next, 1123 claims on 112 health-based packaged food products from India are analysed based on typologies identified. The results reveal a high occurrence of NH claims. Within NH claims, there was a higher presence of nutrition claims over health claims; components to encourage over limit; and non-numeric over numeric claims. Moreover, claim types that are popular in the market but have received limited research attention, such as numeric, non-addition, nutrient comparative, component to limit, and implied claims, are highlighted. This work can help Indian policymakers to re-evaluate and revise current claim guidelines.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2025.2520543Health claimsnutrition claimsNH claimsclassification frameworkhealth foodcontent analysis
spellingShingle Vartika Chaudhary
Dinesh Sharma
Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
CyTA - Journal of Food
Health claims
nutrition claims
NH claims
classification framework
health food
content analysis
title Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
title_full Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
title_fullStr Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
title_full_unstemmed Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
title_short Classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on Indian packaged food products
title_sort classification and analysis of nutrition and health claims on indian packaged food products
topic Health claims
nutrition claims
NH claims
classification framework
health food
content analysis
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19476337.2025.2520543
work_keys_str_mv AT vartikachaudhary classificationandanalysisofnutritionandhealthclaimsonindianpackagedfoodproducts
AT dineshsharma classificationandanalysisofnutritionandhealthclaimsonindianpackagedfoodproducts