Fact Check: Will Samosas and Jilebis Come with a Warning Label?

With people expressing fear over consumption of Indian snacks like samosas, jalebis and laddoos, following some false reports claiming that the health ministry issued warning against eating them, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check team has clarified that no such selective advisory was issued.

The claim, the PIB said, is false and misleading. The health ministry’s message was a general one warning against consuming processed foods but has nothing to do with traditional treats. The PIB debunked the viral reports as fake and misleading.

Following headlines and social media posts that claimed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had likened snacks like jalebis, laddoos and samosas to cigarettes, food lovers across the country were left doubtful if they can eat them. A few posts even suggested that these snacks might soon be tagged with warnings like tobacco products and the internet was abuzz with mockery and many doubts.

At the centre of the controversy is an official health advisory by the Union Health ministry. The advisory was aimed at sensitizing people about health risks due to ultra-processed foods and rising rate of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and obesity.

There was no mention of samosas or jalebis in the original document. In fact, the health ministry had urged all ministries and departments to install display boards mentioning sugar and oil content in snacks such as samosa, kachori, pizza, burger, French fries, soft drinks, vada pav and gulab jamun to promote healthy lifestyles, combat obesity and non-communicable diseases.

However, some people mistook the initiative about installing information about oil and sugar boards in select government cafeterias as a warning call against Indian snacks. This false information spread like wildfire on social media and it took PIB took over 24 hours to come up with a ‘disclaimer’.

Now, people should be clear of the health ministry’s intention. It is only trying to push awareness but not rooting for a ban on the snacks. The health ministry is trying to make people think about what they eat but not quit their consumption out of fear. For now, samosas, jalebis and laddoos are safe and healthy food lovers can eat them without a sense of guilt.