A CRITICAL STUDY OF RISE OF READY-TO-EAT FOOD CULTURE, IMPACT ON HEALTH AND REGULATIONS IN INDIA

AUTHOR – HARSHITA SALUJA, STUDENT AT AMITY LAW SCHOOL, NOIDA

BEST CITATION – HARSHITA SALUJA, A CRITICAL STUDY OF RISE OF READY-TO-EAT FOOD CULTURE, IMPACT ON HEALTH AND REGULATIONS IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (4) OF 2025, PG. 927-934, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

Dr. Tarun Mittal, an obesity surgeon from New Delhi says that when he joined his practice he saw only two to three patients a month who had issue of obesity. But in the recent times those numbers have increased and now he sees such patients on a regular basis, fifteen to twenty patients a month to be more precise.

The terms like ultra-processed, ready-to-eat, junk food, instant food, fast food are quite in use in today’s world. Ready-to-eat food items were developed by the companies for the people of army which is now being consumed by civilians on a daily basis. Researches have found the high consumption of such food is directly linked to various non-communicable diseases. But still its consumption is rising day by day all over the globe. As per recent study, its sale in India increased from $6.2 billion in 2009 to $32 billion in 2022.

In this writeup, I would take you all on the journey from where the story of food processing starts, what all circumstances encouraged the need to create ready-to-eat food items, how it entered into households, why its consumption is harmful, what are the laws prevalent in India for selling and purchasing of such food items and how the laws can be strengthened.

Keywords: Ready-to-eat, Ultra processed, junk food, non-communicable diseases, obesity