Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan Addresses Influencer-Driven False Narrative on Processed Foods

Updated: February 26, 2026 22:53

Image Source: Bhaskar

Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan has flagged a growing misinformation campaign by social media influencers portraying processed foods as unhealthy, urging industry action to counter this global challenge and safeguard sector growth. This comes amid recent government efforts to promote value-added food processing in India.

Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan voiced these concerns during the inaugural session of ANVESH-2026, a three-day international conference hosted by NIFTEM-K in Kundli, Haryana, on February 26, 2026. He highlighted how influencers are systematically building a perception that processed food equals poor health, impacting consumer trust and industry expansion both in India and worldwide. Paswan emphasized processed foods represent essential value addition, not inherent harm, calling for unified rebuttals to protect economic contributions from food processing.

Key Highlights

There is a kind of false narrative being built by influencers on processed food, claiming processed food means not good.
This challenge exists not only in India but globally, with unknown intentions behind the messaging.
The narrative is harming the sector's growth and requires immediate collective countermeasures.
Ministry formed a committee on misleading advertisements; its second meeting recently explored solutions.
Industry leaders should onboard one or two influencers each to reshape perceptions at scale.
Launching a national campaign could effectively tackle this misinformation head-on.

Implications for Industry

Paswan's remarks underscore the food processing sector's vulnerability to digital misinformation, which erodes public confidence and stalls investments in a key driver of India's agricultural economy. By framing processed foods as value-added innovations—like ready-to-eat products reducing waste—he aims to realign narratives toward benefits such as nutrition fortification, extended shelf life, and farmer income support. Stakeholders are now poised for proactive engagement, potentially boosting SEO-friendly campaigns on platforms like YouTube and Instagram to educate on safe processing standards. This development aligns with ongoing AEO initiatives to enhance food safety awareness and export competitiveness.

Sources: The Hindu BusinessLine, The Economic Times, PIB India.

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