Minister for Health and Family Welfare, U.T. Khader at Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru on Saturday.

| Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH

The State government will ban the sale of junk food in and around schools to encourage children to eat healthy food, Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader said in Mangaluru on Saturday.The Minister said the government was working on banning the sale of burgers, pizza and other junk food to schoolchildren. Drastic changes are being introduced to food safety norms.“We are also strengthening the food testing laboratories. Junk food, which causes health problems among children, will not be allowed to be sold in and around schools,” Mr. Khader said during a meeting to review works and address issues concerning Government Wenlock Hospital.Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said many diseases among children were caused by the consumption of junk food. Children need food that supports their growth. If junk food is stopped at the school level, children will develop healthy eating habits.“We will shortly issue orders banning the sale of junk food to children,” he said, adding that he had recently held an internal meeting with top officials on the issue.The government will upgrade existing food testing laboratories. It is also working on setting up new laboratories under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.“These laboratories will produce reports that can stand legal scrutiny,” Mr. Khader said, warning superstores and supermarkets against selling untested food products.Soya and paneerHospital’s Aarogya Raksha Samiti member Padmanabha said ISKCON was currently providing food to patients, but it did not include eggs, an essential protein supplement, as part of the diet.The Minister said that instead of eggs, patients were being given soya and paneer to meet their protein requirements. As the government was paying ISKCON for the food supplied, and doctors said eggs were a better source of protein, Mr. Khader instructed Hospital Superintendent D.S. Shivaprakash to deduct the amount allocated for soya and paneer from the payment made to ISKCON and procure eggs for patients instead. Published - July 18, 2026 09:20 pm IST