Kerala panel orders sugar-free anganwadi nutri mix, suggests jaggery

Kerala's child rights commission has directed the removal of sugar from Amrutham Nutri Mix distributed at anganwadis, recommending jaggery as a substitute to protect children's health. The directive follows a petition alleging the mix contained 20 percent sugar, exceeding WHO guidelines. The commission ordered the Women and Child Development Department to form a high-level committee to scientifically determine nutritional composition. It also mandated age-based quantity guidelines for the Take Home Ration scheme and required nutritional information on product labels. The petition claimed consumption by children aged six months to three years could predispose them to lifestyle diseases. The commission ordered awareness programs for anganwadi workers through Poshan Tracker and WhatsApp, citing excessive sugar intake as contrary to children's nutritional rights.