Businesses to display 'best before date' of loose sweets from Oct 1: FSSAI

Next week onward when you walk into a sweet shop, you would immediately know which of the items are to be picked up for your family and friends – the trays in the showcase will carry the “Best-Before” date. 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Friday came up with an order making it mandatory for all sweet shop owners to display the Best Before Date depending on the local weather conditions. This will come into effect from October 1.

It has been decided that in case of non-packaged or loose sweets, the container (tray) holding sweets at the outlet for sale should display the “Best Before Date” of the product mandatorily, the FSSAI said in the order.

Almost all packaged food products now carry such a date informing the consumers if it’s alright to purchase the items.

Besides the Best Before the date, the sweet business owners can also display the date of manufacturing, but that would be voluntary and non-binding,

The order comes weeks before Dussehra and Diwali festivities when demand for the sweetmeat rises sharply.

While the date would have to be determined by keeping the nature of the product and local conditions in mind, according to a guidance note prepared by the FSSAI on traditional milk products the Bengali sweets and those made out of milk should be be consumed within two days whereas laddoo and khoya sweets can be consumed within four days of making. 

The sweets made of ghee and dry fruits have a shelf life of a week.The food regulator has also asked the manufacturers of edible oils not to blend any other vegetable oil with mustard oil to keep its purity intact.

“From Oct 1, no manufacturing of blended edible vegetable oil with mustard oil as an ingredient shall be allowed,” the FSSAI said in another order.

While earlier an admixture of two vegetable oils in which one component has to be a minimum of 20% by weight was allowed, the government decided to prohibit such blending in the case of mustard oil for domestic consumption in the public interest, the FSSAI said.

No sale of sweets without 'best before' label from Oct 1; manufacturing date not mandatory: FSSAI

The food business operators (FBOs) might also display the date of manufacturing, it said, adding that 'it is not mandatory however'.

NEW DELHI: Food regulator FSSAI has made it mandatory for food business operators to display 'best before date' of non-packaged sweets. The regulation will come into effect starting October 1 as part of efforts of FSSAI to ensure safety.
In a letter to the commissioner of food safety of all states and Union Territories, FSSAI said, "...In the public interest and to ensure food safety, it has been decided that in case of non-packaged/ loose sweets, the container/tray holding sweets at the outlet for sale should display the 'Best Before Date' of the product mandatorily with effect from October 1, 2020."
The food business operators (FBOs) might also display the date of manufacturing, it said, adding that 'it is not mandatory however'.
"The FBOs shall decide and display the 'Best Before Date' of sweets depending on the nature of the products and the local conditions," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in the letter dated September 25.
An indicative list of shelf life of various types of sweets is available on the FSSAI website.
All FBOs dealing in sweets must comply with these directions, the FSSAI said, adding that food safety commissioners should ensure compliance.
Complaints about the quality and adulteration of sweets are most common during festive season. Complaints are filed maximum on adulteration and poor quality of non-packed sweets. In view of this, the food regulator FSSAI took the decision.