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Colour code for sugar content in what you drink
In an apparent bid to curb the growing number of diabetes cases, consumers will soon have a guideline to select the soft drinks, energy and other drinks based on the sugar content in them, a senior Health Ministry official said. The containers will have a marking with a colour code – green, amber and red enabling the consumers to decide before they buy them.
According to Dr Hemanth Herath, Deputy Director of the Food Control Administrative Unit of the Health Ministry, bottles with the green coding will have a sugar content of less than two grams for 100 ml. Amber labeled bottles will have a sugar content between two and 11 grams per 100 ml and the red label will be placed on drinks containing more than 11 grams of sugar for 100 ml.
Dr. Herath said this was based on World Health Organisation standards. All companies producing soft drinks had been briefed on the new regulations which would be gazetted within three months after being approved by the Health Minister. Explaining the reasons for this move, Dr. Herath said a survey carried out in the Western Province had revealed that the sugar level, particularly among children, was higher than average. The Consumer Affairs Authority’s Information Director Chandrika Thilakaratne said samples of 36 drinks were analysed and most of them contained a high sugar level.
‘The regulation of introducing a colour code will be useful for the public to be aware of the sugar content in the drinks they take,” Ms. Thilakaratne said.
She said that an awareness programme would also be carried out among schoolchildren. Dr. Shanthi Gunawardena, Director Nutrition Coordination Division of the Ministry of Health, said similar codes would be implemented to warn the public about the salt and fat content in food items.
He said it would be helpful for the people to have a healthy diet. The Health Ministry has drawn up guidelines on the food items which will be placed under the green, amber and red categories.