The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration department found that food served to children in some schools was high in refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, and processed snack foods. (Image generated using AI)The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department has issued an advisory restricting the sale of food products high in fat, sugar, and salt within a 50-metre radius of schools and colleges in the state.The advisory comes in the wake of FSDA inspections of food business establishments located around 134 schools and colleges in July.“During the inspections, the quality of food products, hygiene and sanitation, compliance with food safety standards, labelling requirements, sale of expired food products and validity of licences/registrations of Food Business Operators were verified…it was observed that certain food business establishments located within and around school and college premises were selling high fat, sugar and salt food products,” the FSDA said in a statement on Friday.Based on the findings, an advisory was issued on July 24 that the sale of high fat sugar and salt food products within 50 metres of school and college premises should be discouraged, healthy food choices should be promoted, and food business operators should strictly comply with the food safety regulations, the department stated.Also Read | Maharashtra school junk food ban won’t curb childhood obesity alone: Doctors tell you what to do alongside“District designated officers and food safety officers have been instructed to effectively implement the advisory across the state and to create awareness among school and college managements, food business operators and the general public,” the FSDA said.The department directed all food establishments located near schools to be licensed and registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It also said that food safety officers will conduct regular inspections around schools and colleges.Violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules/Regulations, 2011 will result in “issuance of improvement notices, suspension or cancellation of licence, seizure of food products, and judicial proceedings, wherever necessary”, it added.Story continues below this adSchool menus under scannerThe department said its inspections found that food served to children in some schools was high in “refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, and processed snack foods”. “Such foods can cause rapid increases in blood sugar levels. It is essential to balance these meals with lean proteins and healthy fats to provide sustained energy and improve concentration throughout the day,” the FSDA stated in its July 24 advisory.School managements, it said, should ensure that such food products are not sold within school premises and should prominently display appropriate warning signboards at key locations.The advisory recommended that school meals be designed as cereal‑protein combinations rich in micronutrients. It said menus should include whole grains, pulses, millets, and animal‑based foods such as milk and eggs, and use fresh, seasonal, and locally available produce.To make the meals more nutritious, “fortified wheat flour, rice, milk, edible oil and double fortified salt may be used strictly adhering to the standards specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018”, the advisory further said.