New Delhi, Sept. 1 -- Confronting India's fast-rising epidemic of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart ailments, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is preparing to mandate bold front-of-pack warning labels (FOPL) on packaged foods, flagging high salt, sugar and fat content, instead of the earlier star-rating plan, officials in the know of the development said.

The shift to this labelling system is a result of a Supreme Court directive from a public interest litigation. While the top court had not specified the label format, it had mandated the authority to act quickly to create a transparent labeling system to combat public health issues.

It was given a final three-month extension by the apex cour...