The Health Ministry said that the Act to control sugar content in certain foods is still in the early discussion phase.
“We are still only discussing making it a law,” Health Ministry Public Relations officer Leslie Fernando said.
However, he said it was highly unlikely that the proposed law would be enacted by next year, saying a lot of factors needed to be discussed before the proposal could be made law.
Fernando confirmed that the proposed law was mainly to benefit children and diabetics, and would be implemented locally only. “We cannot tell the manufacturers abroad what to put in their ingredients,” Fernando said.
He added that it was as yet unclear whether all sweet manufacturers would have to reduce their sugar content, or whether there would be high-sugar-content alternatives available locally as well.
It was reported last week that the Ministry of Health was planning to introduce an Act to reduce the sugar content in sweets, liquid milk products and soft drinks.
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena reportedly said that 10 percent of Sri Lankans are diabetic, and that 10-15 percent of schoolchildren were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/11/20/sugar-control-act-under-discussion/
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