In This Article
Quick Facts
- FSSAI mandates that all packaged food in India must list ingredients in descending order of weight — the first ingredient is the most abundant
- INS numbers are the Indian food additive numbering system (equivalent to E-numbers in Europe). INS 621 = MSG. INS 110 = Sunset Yellow. INS 102 = Tartrazine.
- Trans fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, vanaspati) increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL — India is phasing these out but they still appear in some snacks
- A snack with more than 10–12 ingredients is almost certainly using additives for texture, colour, or shelf life — not for nutrition
- The serving size on Indian snack packs is typically 20–30g. The bag you eat in one sitting is often 90–120g. Multiply the nutrition values accordingly.
- Salt content in Indian namkeen averages 1,200–2,500mg sodium per 100g — a large portion can exceed the entire day's recommended sodium intake
Why Reading Labels Matters for Indian Snacks
The Indian packaged snack market is one of the most additive-heavy food categories available. A bag of commercial chips or namkeen can contain 20–30 ingredients — the vast majority of which are there to make you eat more, preserve the product longer, or disguise cheaper ingredients.
Understanding what is in the snack you buy is not paranoia. It is the basic consumer right that FSSAI label regulations are designed to support — and that most consumers never use.
This guide covers the specific additives most commonly found in Indian snacks, what they do, what the evidence says about them, and what to look for and avoid.
The Ingredient List — How to Read It
Ingredient order matters. FSSAI requires ingredients to be listed from highest to lowest weight. The first three ingredients are essentially the product. If refined wheat flour (maida), sugar, and palm oil are the first three ingredients in a “multigrain healthy snack,” it is a maida snack with marketing language on the front.
Compound ingredients. When an ingredient is listed as “(Refined Wheat Flour, Edible Vegetable Oil, Salt),” that compound ingredient is a single listed item but contains multiple sub-ingredients. The sub-ingredients are included in brackets and count toward the total ingredient list length but not necessarily in the order of abundance relative to other main ingredients.
Serving size manipulation. FSSAI allows manufacturers to choose their own serving size for nutrition panel labelling. Many Indian snack manufacturers choose unrealistically small serving sizes (15–20g for a product sold in 100g packs) to make the sodium, calorie, and fat numbers look smaller. Always multiply by the number of servings you actually eat.
The Additives to Know
Common Snack Additives in India — What They Do and Whether to Avoid
| Additive / INS | Purpose | Common In | Concern Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| INS 621 (MSG) | Flavour enhancer — stimulates umami taste receptors | Chips, namkeen, instant noodles, masala snacks | Moderate — genuine sensitivity exists; most studies show safety at normal doses, but may cause headaches in sensitive individuals |
| INS 627, INS 631 | Flavour enhancers — boost MSG effect at lower MSG dose | Often listed with INS 621 to disguise higher flavour enhancer use | Same as MSG; the trio (621+627+631) is a common commercial combination |
| INS 110 (Sunset Yellow) | Orange-yellow artificial colour | Chips, snack puffs, masala-flavoured snacks | High — linked to hyperactivity in children (Southampton study); banned for children's food in UK |
| INS 102 (Tartrazine) | Yellow artificial colour | Biscuits, snacks, flavoured puffs | High — same concern as INS 110. Cross-reacts with aspirin sensitivity. |
| INS 129 (Allura Red / Red 40) | Red artificial colour | Tomato-flavoured crisps, masala snacks, imli products | Moderate-High — not banned in India but flagged by EFSA for review |
| INS 211 (Sodium Benzoate) | Preservative — inhibits mould and bacteria | Fruit-flavoured snacks, pickles, jams, imli products | Moderate — reacts with vitamin C to form benzene (a carcinogen). Avoid products with both ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate. |
| INS 320 (BHA), INS 321 (BHT) | Antioxidant preservatives — prevent oil rancidity | Fried snacks, biscuits, chips | Moderate — BHA classified as possible carcinogen (IARC Group 2B). BHT less studied but structurally similar. |
| INS 319 (TBHQ) | Antioxidant preservative — extends shelf life of fried products | Chips, instant noodles, fried snacks | Moderate-High — high doses caused tumours in animal studies. FSSAI permits up to 100mg/kg in India. |
| Partially Hydrogenated Oil / Vanaspati | Trans fat source — creates solid fat texture cheaply | Commercial biscuits, namkeen, fried snacks | High — trans fats are proven cardiovascular risk factors. Legally being phased out in India (0% trans fat target by 2022, not fully achieved) |
INS = International Numbering System for food additives. All additives listed are FSSAI-permitted in India. Permitted does not mean safe in large quantities or for all populations.
The Trans Fat Problem in Indian Snacks
Trans fats (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) were identified as the single most harmful dietary fat for cardiovascular health in the 1990s. They raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and increase systemic inflammation.
India committed to eliminating industrially produced trans fats from the food supply by 2022 — but the implementation has been inconsistent. In 2025, trans fats still appear in:
- Small-scale commercial biscuits and bakery products
- Some branded namkeen products
- Vanaspati (a hydrogenated fat still sold openly for cooking)
- Imported snacks and cookies
On labels, trans fats appear as: “Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil,” “Hydrogenated Fat,” “Vanaspati,” or “Dalda.” If you see any of these — do not buy the product.
Salt — The Sneaky One
Sodium is not labelled as an additive but is the biggest health concern in the Indian snack category. The average Indian already consumes 8–11g of salt per day — more than double the WHO recommendation of 5g.
Namkeen, chips, and savoury snacks add significantly to this:
- Commercial chips: 600–900mg sodium per 100g
- Namkeen (mixture, sev): 1,000–2,500mg sodium per 100g
- Commercial papad: 1,200–1,800mg sodium per 100g
A 100g eating session of namkeen can provide 2,000mg sodium — nearly a full day’s allowance in one snack.
The label will show sodium in mg per 100g. Multiply this by the percentage of the bag you eat. For someone with hypertension: this single calculation is the most important thing to do with a snack label.
What a Good Snack Label Looks Like
Traditional nippattu (clean label):
Rice flour, Fried gram (hurikadalai), Peanuts, Sesame seeds, Coconut, Dried red chilli, Curry leaves, Asafoetida, Salt, Cold-pressed groundnut oil
9 ingredients. All recognisable. No INS numbers. No colour. No preservative. This is what a clean snack looks like.
Commercial puffed snack (typical bad label):
Corn grits, Refined palm oil, Rice flour, Maltodextrin, Salt, Whey powder, Sugar, Tapioca starch, Flavour enhancers (INS 627, INS 631), Acidity regulator (INS 330), Colours (INS 110, INS 129), Anticaking agent (INS 551), Artificial flavouring substance (cheese flavour)
14+ ingredients. Multiple INS additives. Two artificial colours. Artificial flavouring. This is the typical commercial snack.
Q Is MSG actually dangerous?
Is MSG actually dangerous?
The evidence on MSG (INS 621) is more nuanced than either extreme suggests. Large, well-designed studies (including a 2008 Cochrane review) found no consistent evidence of harm at typical dietary doses in the general population. However, a subset of people (estimated 1–2% of the population) have genuine MSG sensitivity — experiencing headaches, flushing, or nausea after consumption. MSG-sensitive individuals should avoid products with INS 621, 627, and 631. For everyone else, moderate consumption is likely fine — but it is still a reason to prefer naturally flavourful foods over artificially enhanced ones.
Q How do I know if artificial colour is actually in a snack?
How do I know if artificial colour is actually in a snack?
The label must list artificial colours by their INS number and name. Look for: INS 102 (Tartrazine), INS 110 (Sunset Yellow), INS 122 (Azorubine), INS 124 (Ponceau 4R), INS 129 (Allura Red). If none of these appear, the colour is either natural or the snack is uncoloured. If the snack is bright orange, vivid yellow, or vivid red without listing a colour source, this is a FSSAI labelling violation — though enforcement is inconsistent. When in doubt, choose snacks that are the natural colour of their ingredients.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making dietary changes, especially if you have a medical condition.