FSSAI advises safety commissioners to focus on compliance with new norms

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked safety commissioners to take cognizance of the new standards framed for various food products. The Food-safety czar has advised them to go easy on cases involving old norms and to withdraw or not pursue cases of violation of old norms and standards, unless companies are still not compliant with the new or revised standards.

The FSSAI, said that during the last few years a large number of new standards have been framed or amended/revised for several food products based on scientific evidence to ensure appropriate food safety levels and also to ensure apt level of protection of human life and health.

The order of the FSSAI further stated that, the field machinery tasked with the responsibility of ensuring food safety may have lodged cases against food business operators for violation of the old standards even though the impugned products may now be in conformity with the new/revised standards and that the engaging of state machinery in pursuing such cases not only diverts the scarce resources of the government but also burdens the judicial system.

Also, the Food-safety Authority further stated in its order, that the government wants the field machinery to be focused on genuine cases of unsafe food products and that the burden of litigation needs to be reduced, and hence, accordingly, the commissioners have been advised to withdraw, or at least not pursue, cases for violation of old norms and standards unless the products in question are still not in conformity with the new/revised standards.