CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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Health Ministry to control use of sugar
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The Health Ministry will take action to strictly restrict the content of sugar and salt in processed and instant foods as medical tests had revealed that the excessive intake of salt and sugar has contributed to an increase in non-communicable diseases among Sri Lankans.The Food Consultative Committee (FCC) of the Health Ministry met yesterday and discussed the report and decided to ensure food outlets, restaurants, hotels and tea shops strictly abide by the standard set by Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) for instant foods and drinks, the Health Ministry spokesman Dharma Wanninayaka said.
“It is common knowledge that excessive consumption of salt and sugar are the main causes for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, coronary vascular diseases, strokes and blood pressure. It also makes people obese. The over consumption of salt and sugar are the main cause of all these diseases that come from instant or take-away foods which are extremely popular among the urban population,” Mr. Wanninayaka said.
He added that the salt and sugar consumption among Sri Lankans was much higher than the international and WHO approved limits. For instance, the internationally approved intake of sugar per day per person was 5 tea spoons but in Sri Lanka it was 9 tea spoons. The sugar intake per person per day was one tea spoon but in Sri Lanka it was 4 tea spoons which was highly detrimental to a healthy life, he stressed quoting the report.
As a result there was a steady increase in the number of persons who fell ill with non-communicable diseases and added easily available and much popular instant foods and short-eat varieties such as biscuits, cakes, fried rice, kottu, rolls and similar instant foods and almost all soft drinks contain excessive salt or sugar or both, he said.
The number of deaths from non-communicable diseases had increased to 650 per day and it was projected that half of the population would be diabetic unless remedial measures were taken immediately. Therefore, the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Palitha Mahipala had instructed food inspectors and PHIs to ensure that food traders strictly adhere to food standards published under the Food Act of 1980 and to take legal action against those who violate it, Mr. Wanninayaka added. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)
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