42 of 56 Indian packaged foods that say 'no added sugar' list something that sweetens
Of 56 foods with the claim, 42 list something that sweetens the food instead.
How to check a pack yourself
- Look for dates. Check the ingredient list for dates or date powder. These are counted as sweeteners on their own.
- Check for non-sugar sweeteners. Look for names like maltitol, stevia, or sorbitol. These are not sugar names, but they sweeten the food.
- Read the nutrition table. The 'no added sugar' claim is about what went into the food, not the number of sugars in the nutrition table.
Quick answers
What does 'no added sugar' mean under FSSAI's rule?
It means (i) no sugars of any type have been added, such as sucrose, glucose, honey, molasses or corn syrup; (ii) the food contains no ingredients that contain sugars as an ingredient, such as jams, jellies, sweetened chocolate or sweetened fruit pieces; (iii) the food contains no ingredients containing sugars that substitute for added sugars, such as non-reconstituted concentrated fruit juice or dried fruit paste; and (iv) the sugars content has not been raised by some other means, for example by enzymes that turn starch into sugars. Where sugars are naturally present, the label must also say 'CONTAINS NATURALLY OCCURRING SUGARS'. In June 2026 FSSAI objected to one biscuit's 'No Added Sugar' claim because the biscuit contains maltodextrin and glucose syrup solids; none of the 56 foods in this study list maltodextrin.
What sweetens these packs instead of sugar?
26 of 56 list a non-sugar sweetener, such as maltitol or stevia. 13 list dates or date powder. 4 list a sugar name under the Label Checker rules, such as apple juice concentrate or honey. One of these also lists a non-sugar sweetener.
Are non-sugar sweeteners allowed in these foods?
Non-sugar sweeteners are listed in the ingredient list, but the FSSAI rule does not mention them. The rule only talks about sugars and ingredients that contain sugars. It does not say whether non-sugar sweeteners are allowed or not.
Why are dates counted apart from other sweeteners?
Dates and date powder are not counted as sugar names under the India Label Index's sugar-name rules (the Label Checker's). They are not non-sugar sweeteners either. So they are listed separately in the study.
How can a shopper check a pack at the shelf?
Turn the pack over and look at the ingredient list. Check for dates, date powder, fruit juice concentrate, maltitol, or stevia. Read the nutrition table's sugars line. The 'no added sugar' claim is about what was added, not the number of sugars in the food.
Every measure
| Measure | Share of foods | Foods |
|---|---|---|
| list something that sweetens | 75% | 42 of 56 |
| a non-sugar sweetener | 46% | 26 of 56 |
| a sugar alcohol such as maltitol | 38% | 21 of 56 |
| dates or date powder | 23% | 13 of 56 |
| a sugar name | 7% | 4 of 56 |
| none of these | 25% | 14 of 56 |
How I did it
I read the ingredient lists of 107 Open Food Facts India records that carry a 'no added sugar' tag or name and an English ingredient list. Every list was read by hand. 60 are made foods. The pack photos of all 60 were checked for the claim (a local vision model first, then every answer by eye). 56 print the claim and are counted. 2 of the 60 made foods carry a different claim, and 2 show no such claim on the photos. The lists and tags come from Open Food Facts, entered by volunteers, so they are not a random sample. The study counts ingredient names, not amounts, and says nothing about safety. The volunteer claim tags were checked against pack photos; 4 of 60 were wrong or not seen and are left out. Pack photos on Open Food Facts can be older than the pack on sale today. No brands are named. It does not judge whether any pack meets FSSAI's claim rule.
Where this comes from
- FSSAI, Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, regulation 6(1), Compendium Version IV, 14 December 2022
- FSSAI on Instagram, 27 June 2026: notice on a biscuit's 'No Added Sugar' claim
- Bar and Bench, 17 October 2026: the Delhi High Court stays FSSAI's order on a biscuit maker's claims
- Open Food Facts
What this can't tell you
- The lists and tags come from Open Food Facts, entered by volunteers, so they are not a random sample.
- The study counts ingredient names, not amounts, and says nothing about safety.
- It does not judge whether any pack meets FSSAI's claim rule.
- The volunteer claim tags were checked against pack photos; 4 of 60 were wrong or not seen and are left out.
- No brands are named.
Data and code
- Every number on this page with the count behind it (JSON)
- Code: https://github.com/devnarsinghani22/india-label-index (nas.py)
- Licence: the data comes from Open Food Facts under the Open Database License. You can reuse these numbers with credit to Open Food Facts and this page.
Part of the India Label Index 2026.
Narsinghani, D. (2026). What sweetens instead of sugar. India Label Index 2026. https://devnarsinghani22.github.io/india-label-index/no-added-sugar/. Data from Open Food Facts (ODbL). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23245061.