A seemingly routine ingredient in a staple meant to nourish Kerala’s youngest children has come under scrutiny, with the state’s child rights watchdog questioning whether sugar belongs in the nutritional mix served through anganwadis, in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Keralam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked the Women and Child Development Department to consider removing sugar altogether from Amrutham Nutri Mix, distributed to children under the Integrated Child Development Services programme. The commission has suggested that, if a sweetener is considered necessary, a small quantity of jaggery could be explored instead. 

The intervention follows a petition filed by K Sahla of Pattithara in Palakkad, who alleged that the Amrutham powder contained around 20 per cent sugar. The petitioner argued that regular consumption by children between six months and three years could potentially expose them to lifestyle-related health risks at an early age. 

For the commission, the issue is larger than the presence of one ingredient. It has called for the nutritional composition of products supplied to children to be examined scientifically, directing the WCD Director to constitute a high-level committee for the purpose.

The commission has also sought clearer rules on how much Nutri Mix a child should receive under the Take Home Ration scheme, with quantities determined according to age and aligned with central government guidelines. It wants nutritional information and recommended serving quantities printed on the packets. 

The emphasis on labelling and portion size points to another concern: nutrition programmes for young children cannot be judged merely by what goes into a food product, but also by how much is consumed and how it is prepared.

The commission has therefore asked the department to step up awareness among anganwadi workers and beneficiaries about the preparation and use of Amrutham Nutri Mix and other nutritional supplements. It has suggested using both direct programmes and digital platforms such as Poshan Tracker and WhatsApp groups to spread the information. 

At the heart of the commission's observation is a simple but significant question: should a food designed as a public nutrition intervention for infants and toddlers contain added sugar at all?

The commission has taken the view that excessive sugar intake could have long-term health consequences and would run counter to the best interests of children and their right to nutrition. 

The next step now rests with the WCD Department. Rather than an immediate ban, the commission's order sets in motion a broader examination of the formulation, quantity and communication surrounding Amrutham Nutri Mix.

In effect, Keralam's child rights watchdog has turned the spotlight from merely feeding children to a more demanding question — what exactly are we feeding them, in what quantity, and with what nutritional justification?

References: PTI; ET Health; The Print