Pepsi Willing To Reduce Sugar Content, Says Food Minister

India’s Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal seems to be on a mission to encourage and promote healthy and nutritious products. Recently, she met PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi to discuss the role the food beverages company could play in this regard.

She disclosed to a leading news agency that PepsiCo is willing to reduce sugar content in its soft drinks. “In soft drinks, they (PepsiCo) are looking at how to bring down the sugar content (but) that same cold drink has the taste but healthy contents in it," says minister.

According to her, the company is “open to play its role” in boosting the nutritional value of mid-day meals provided by the government. "I have suggested if they could come up for midday meal scheme in rural areas as malnutrition is big issue... some of these packed meals which could enhance the nutrition value and which provide for iron deficiency they were interested in that they said they would look into that," Badal said.

"I have suggested there is huge potential for providing healthy meals for children in their tiffins and something which is healthy and could be done quickly in the morning," she added.

However, Nooyi declined to comment on the issue.