Milk, packaged drinking water and edible oil under FSSAI scanner

The food safety regulator has already asked state food commissioners across the country to test samples of milk, drinking water and edible oil

On 16 June, the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration said it found detergent in one sample of Mother Dairy milk. The allegation was rejected by the company the next day. 

New Delhi: In a move to keep a close tab on the quality of product categories that are widely consumed, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to step up quality checks of packaged drinking water, milk and milk products and edible oil.

The move comes in the wake of the standing committee of Parliament for consumer affairs expressing concern over reports of milk adulteration. The issue was first discussed in January during the 13th meeting of the Central Advisory Committee of FSSAI, according to a document prepared by the enforcement body and reviewed by Mint.

FSSAI has already asked state food commissioners to test milk, drinking water and edible oil for adulteration as these three products are widely consumed. “All packaged food items in these three categories will be inspected and evaluated across the country,” said an FSSAI official, who did not want to be named.

On 16 June, the Uttar Pradesh Food and Drug Administration said it found detergent in one sample of Mother Dairy milk. The next day, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd managing director S. Nagarajan rejected allegations of adulteration of its packaged milk, saying the samples in question were collected before they reached Mother Dairy plants.

On June 19, FSSAI said it would constitute an expert group to regulate salt, sugar and fat in food products following a Delhi High Court order. With this, several food categories such as noodles, pizzas, burgers and carbonated drinks will come under its scrutiny.

On 5 June, FSSAI had asked Nestle India to “stop further production, processing, import, distribution and sale” of all nine variants of Maggi noodles as they had been found unsafe for human consumption. Since 5 June, Nestle India is in the process of recalling about 27,420 tonnes of Maggi noodles over the alleged presence of monosodium glutamate and high levels of lead.

FSSAI had also ordered testing of other instant noodle brands but is yet to notify the results of the tests.