FSSAI issued the notice to claim a refund of erroneous FSSAI Registration fee

FSSAI issued a notice about a refund of erroneous FSSAI Registration fee, which has issued on 18 August 2020 as Food Safety and Standard Authority of India has launched easy SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to claim a refund of FSSAI Registration fees paid. Let’s understand in detail:

A Big Relief to FBO’s who applied for FSSAI License

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced the notification on Standard Operating Procedures for Food Business Operators applying and processing of refund of incorrect or accidental payments made to FSSAI Account while applying FSSAI license or FSSAI registration online.

Before learning the new Standard Operating Procedure issued, you need to understand the past procedure where FBO facing issues while applying for FSSAI license.

There have been many cases reported in the past wherein a Food Business Operator has paid the FSSAI fees for FSSAI Registration more than once erroneously through the payment mode available in FSSAI’s online licensing and registration portal (FLRS/FoSCoS). 

There are several issues such as – 

• Applicants made double payment accidentally
• Payment not processed due to low or poor network.
• Paid fee for FSSAI registration instead of paying for FSSAI License.
• Also, the fee paid successfully for the FSSAI Registration, but the FSSAI license certificate has not been received.

Now, FSSAI has issued on FSSAI notice about the refund of erroneous FSSAI Registration Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as given below for applying and processing of refunds of erroneous/ inadvertent payment credited into the FSSAI Account in respect of license/registration fee. Following are the procedure – 

Standard Operating Procedure for FSSAi Registration fee refunds

• The refund request with form, reference number and payment transaction details should be made within one year of the payment made through the FSSAI’s online licensing and registration portal.
• The request shall be sent to FSSAI HQ and shall forward the case to the IT Division for verification of the claim.
• After verification of online payment by the IT Division, FSSAI shall proceed with the refund request. 
• Now, the refund request shall be processed by the RCD as per Schedule 3 of the Food Safety and StandardsRegulations 2011.
• FSSAI fee refunds of less than Rs.100 may not be processed.
• ‘RazorPay’ a payment gateway shall be used for any specific payment/refund.

Note – The fee paid by the FSSAI Registration applicant for successfully submitted form for FSSAI license/registration shall not be refunded under any circumstances.

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IIT Gandhinagar bags Eat Right Campus Award with a five-star rating for the second consecutive year

Gandhinagar: Continuing its commitment for ensuring food safety and promoting healthy eating, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has bagged Eat Right Campus Award with a five-star rating from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for the second consecutive year.

This time FSSAI has certified IITGN as the ‘Eat Right Campus’ with five-star rating for a period of two years, i.e. up to August 14, 2022; after third party auditing by DNV GL Business Assurance India Pvt Ltd (DNVGL). The audit is done based on a checklist of following five parameters: a) Compliance to food safety and hygiene; b) Healthy diets; c) Food waste management; d) Promotion of local and seasonal foods on campus; and e) Promotion and awareness on food safety and healthy diets in and around campus.

IITGN ensures strict compliance of all food standards and safety guidelines in each of its mess, food joints and canteens on the campus. Both student mess and all the food joints on campus are licensed by FSSAI, and their food handlers are trained periodically by the Food Safety Awareness and Training Organization (FSATO), an empanelled training partner of FSSAI. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, IITGN took all precautionary steps to ensure adherence to safety measures and social distance by everyone in the mess and the food joints.

Sharing his thoughts on this recognition, Prof Sudhir K Jain, Director, IITGN said, “We are a residential campus, and IITGN campus is home to our students, our entire community, and also the visitors. And hence, we make best efforts that all our food joints provide with nutritious, wholesome and safe food, just what mothers try for their children. ‘Eat Right Campus’ recognition by FSSAI for the second consecutive year will be a strong encouragement to all the staff and vendors of our food joints and will strengthen our efforts to ensure healthy eating practices for the campus community.”

Dedicating this award to the teamwork of all the stakeholders, Prof Sivapriya Kirubakaran, Associate Professor, Chemistry, and Warden, Mess and Eateries, IITGN said, “This achievement of the Institute not only gives each one of us a sense of fulfilment but it also reflects on our sustained “Teamwork”. This is a result of dedicated efforts by all the stakeholders, including mess contractors, eateries in the hostel and academic area, their employees, housekeeping services, our Green Office, the IWD team, our students, faculty and staff members, who have been contributing in many ways to sustain high-quality services at all eating joints of the campus.”

FSSAI NOTIFICATION

 

'Onam squad' to set up food testing labs near check posts in the state

The minister also warned that action will be taken against those who are found selling food products without authorized license or registration.

Thiruvananthapuram: Food safety department will deploy ‘Onam squads’ to set up food testing labs near check posts in the state to inspect the quality of food products brought in from other states. Health Minister KK Shailaja stated that special squads have been formed to ensure the quality of the food products that come to the state during Onam.

The service of mobile testing labs will be made available in Amaravila (Thiruvananthapuram), Aryankavu (Kollam), Kumily (Idukki), Walayar, Meenakshipuram (Palakkad) and Manjeswaram (Kasaragod) to check the quality of milk, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables brought from other states.

Apart from this, the squad will also ensure if the employees of local street stalls are wearing head caps and masks, whether social distancing is followed in these places and whether it provides sanitizers and hand washes for the use of customers, said the health minister.

Food safety department will carry out strict inspections along with Ksheera Development Board to stop poor quality milk from entering the state.KK Shailaja also stated that these special squads will remain active in the state till September 5.

Milk, jaggery, coconut and other edible oils, ghee, lentils, fruits and vegetables that reach the Onam market will be inspected. Also, the manufacturing and packing units of bakery products, milk, ice cream, coconut oil will be inspected by the food safety squad, informed the health minister.

The minister also warned that action will be taken against those who are found selling food products without authorized license or registration. Public can call the toll free number 1800 425 1125 to inform about adulterated food products.

Government to finalize regulation to limit trans fats during covid-19 pandemic

Over 55,000 persons in India have succumbed to the covid-19 of which majority suffered from one or the other comorbid conditions such as heart ailments, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, kidney diseases etc

The centre will soon finalize a proposed regulation to limit Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) or trans fats in food products as their higher consumption may put people at fatal risk of covid-19.

Over 55000 persons in India have succumbed to the covid-19 of which majority suffered from one or the other comorbid conditions such as heart ailments, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, kidney diseases etc. “Higher content of Trans fats in food is a potential cause of heart ailments and stroke. Comorbid medical conditions such as of heart are a major risk factor for covid-19. Majority of Patients who have died due to covid-19 in India had comorbid conditions. We have decided to expedite a proposed trans-fat limiting regulation as this is need of the hour during the pandemic," said Arun Singhal chief executive officer at Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) told Mint on Thursday.

India's apex food regulator proposed a draft regulation in September 2019 to limit trans fats in food products not more than 2% through an amendment in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations.

“Since businesses of majority of hotels, restaurants, even normal eateries have suffered due to covid-19 pandemic, there may be little attention to labelling of trans fats. Earlier the food manufacturers took a voluntary pledge w.e.f. 1 January 2022 to limit trans fats. But we are now planning to make it mandatory as soon as possible," said Singhal.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), industrially-produced TFAs are contained in hardened vegetable fats, such as margarine and ghee, and are often present in snack food, baked foods, and fried foods. Manufacturers often use them as they have a longer shelf life than other fats.

Currently, India accounts for the largest number of deaths caused due to TFA in the world per year; between 60,000 – 75,000 are estimated to die because of these fats. At present, Indian regulation limits the amount of TFA in food to 5%, more than double the recommended amount of 2%.

In 2018, India made a public commitment to remove TFA from its food systems by 2022. However, while the country has created a draft regulation in 2019, no concrete legislative action has been taken on this front.

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) also officially recognized TFA as a threat to food security. It not only recognized TFA as a low-hanging fruit whose elimination can result in exponential benefits to the population, but also created a framework for their elimination – REPLACE (Review, Promote, Legislate, Access, Create, Enforce). The aim of the organization is to eliminate TFA from the global food system by 2023.

Various countries have started making legislation to slowly phase out TFA. Denmark, one of the early movers in this regard, created legislation limiting the amount of TFA in foods as early as 2004. Other countries such as Chile introduced a mandatory national Front-of-Package nutrient warning label policy in 2016 to build consumer awareness around TFA.

“Mandatory trans-fat limits or bans on partially hydrogenated oils are currently in effect for 2.4 billion people in 28 countries. Yet more than 5 billion people including people in India are still being exposed to industrially produced trans-fat in their food supply. As we struggle to cope with the ongoing health crisis, this is an opportunity for governments and regulators to make the food we eat safer and more nutritious," Vandana Shah, Regional Director, South Asia Programs at Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) said.

Strong immunity key for fighting COVID-19: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

• People who don't focus on their food have many deficiencies, that weaken their immune system, health minister Vardhan said
• The selected districts and cities have to do mandatory activities like registration, licensing, surveillance and enforcement drive, promote the eat right food environment

NEW DELHI : Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said people with poor immunity are more vulnerable to contracting coronavirus infections and stressed on the need to boost the immune system by eating right and safe food. 

Speaking at the virtual launch of the 'Eat Right India Challenge' initiative by food safety regulator FSSAI, the Minister said a strong immune system is not only important for fighting coronavirus but also diseases like tuberculosis. 

"It is rightly said that food plays an important role in building immunity. Today those people are getting more infected by COVID-19 whose immunity is not strong," he said. 

People who don't focus on their food have many deficiencies, that weaken their immune system, he said, and emphasised on the need to eat right and safe food. 

"As a doctor, I feel if a person focuses on his food and exercise, he can save himself from diseases," he added. 

Asserting that more awareness needs to be created among people about diet, the Minister said it is because about 52 per cent deaths in India are due to noncommunicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. 

Also, the country has 196 million people in chronic hunger, 500 million with micronutrient deficiency, 180 million with obesity besides 100 million cases of foodborne diseases, he added. 

As per the Health Ministry data, there were 27.67 lakh COVID-19 cases as on Wednesday in the country. 

On the 'Eat Right India Challenge', the Minister said it is a good initiative to instill a sense of competition among cities and districts to strengthen regulatory compliance. 

"But in the name of this initiative, small outlets should not be harassed... Efforts should be made to involve them and encourage them to participate," he said. 

Under the year-long initiative, the first 150 cities and districts that register on a first-cum-first service basis will be eligible for seed funding for the challenge. Already 197 districts/cities from 23 states have registered. 

The selected districts and cities have to do mandatory activities like registration, licensing, surveillance and enforcement drive, promote the eat right food environment besides changing food choices and other innovative activities. 

Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Arun Singhal and Chairperson Rita Teaotia were present at the virtual event.

Diet, nutrition play key role in preventing deaths due to diseases including COVID: Vardhan

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Highlighting the key role played by healthy food in combating morbidities and building one''s resilience and immunity towards various kinds of diseases, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said people of the same household have been showing different responses to COVID-19 based on their immunity acquired through nutrition.

Vardhan, who presided over an online orientation workshop organised by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as part of its Eat Right Challenge, emphasised that 61.8 per cent deaths from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular complications, etc are directly or indirectly related to faulty diet, a health ministry statement said.

"Even communicable diseases like tuberculosis disproportionately affect people who are undernourished. People of the same household have been showing different responses to COVID based on their immunity acquired through nutrition," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

He also launched FSSAI''s ''Eat Right India'' Handbook and the website "http://eatrightindia.gov.in"eatrightindia.gov.in to help various stakeholders scale up ''Eat Right India'' initiatives across the country. 

Addressing officials of 197 cities and districts, the Union Health Minister highlighted the pressing need for the campaign. He stated that of the 135 crore people inhabiting India, “196 million are victims of chronic hunger while another 180 million suffer from obesity. 47 million children have stunted growth while another 25 million are wasted. 500 million are deficient in micro-nutrients and 100 million suffer from food-borne diseases”. 

"This movement will sharpen our focus towards prioritising food, nutrition and awareness about our eating and dietary habits to prevent and address these challenges. This will also bring into sharper focus the problem of food wastage and disposal of food," Vardhan said.

The ''Eat Right India'' movement initiated by FSSAI under the aegis of the Ministry of Health has been creating awareness among people about safe, healthy and sustainable dietary habits. 

To achieve this end and to convert the program into a people''s movement, the FSSAI recently announced the ''Eat Right Challenge'', an annual competition for 197 districts and cities in a unique way to strengthen the food safety and regulatory environment, build awareness among the consumers and urge them to make better food choices. 

The Food Safety Commissioners and district officials such as District Magistrates and Designated Officers of the cities also joined the online workshop.

Releasing the ''Eat Right Handbook'', a useful reference guide for officials to adopt and scale-up Eat Right India (ERI) initiatives in their respective jurisdictions, Vardhan said, “Food is not only about hunger or taste but about health and nourishment. The workshop is unique in that it brings big restaurant chefs to roadside eatery owners under the same umbrella to achieve a single goal.”

Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Kumar Choubey highlighted the role of age-old wisdom and traditional Ayurveda in guiding people to right eating practices by categorizing food based on the effect they have on the body. 

Reminding everyone of the Prime Minister''s commitment of creating a ''new India'' by its 75th year of independence in 2022, Vardhan said, “The Prime Minister initiated Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan on October 2, 2014 to rid the country of diseases arising out of poor sanitation. Through the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide potable piped water which will aid in prevention of water borne illness in the country while the Ujjwala Yojana provides access to clean fuels to tackle smoke and lung diseases.” 

Highlighting the importance of Poshan Abhiyaan, Anaemia Mukt Bharat and Fit India movement, he added that they are “cornerstones of Prime Minister''s New India by 2022.” 

The main focus of the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness centres is on preventive, positive and promotive health, the Minister stated. The HWCs form an integral component of the Prime Minister''s vision of a healthy India, he added.

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FDA order will help eradicate illegal bakeries: bakers’ body

Panaji: A day after the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) asked the bread (pao) sellers (poders) in the state to get themselves registered with the FDA and display the registration details on their bicycles, All Goa Bakers and Confectionary Association (AGBCA), the local bakers’ body, welcomed the order.

Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ on Tuesday, Peter Fernandes, president of AGBCA, said that the order will help to eradicate illegal bakeries.

“There are so many bakeries, started by people in unhygienic conditions, in small houses and small rooms. These bakeries operate illegally and give competition to the legal bakers,” said Fernandes.

He added that most of the illegal bakers hire temporary workers, who work in industrial estates or as security guards during the night time and arrive for work at the bakeries in the morning.

“The workers come directly from work to the bakers without bath or change of clothes and collect the ‘pao’ and hit the road on the cycle. The FDA order will help genuine bakers and ensure hygienic delivery of bread to residents,” said Fernandes. He added that fixing a display board on the cycle is not likely to pose any problem to the ‘poder’. The AGBCA president said that this is the second time the FDA has come out with the same order for bakers in the state.

“The order was actually announced two years ago,” said Fernandes. He said the bakers’ association had persuaded around 100 ‘poders’ to carry a display board on their cycles. “The ‘poders’ did this for some time, but after they were teased by other ‘poders’, they stopped,” disclosed Fernandes.

The state has over 600 bakers of which around 50 per cent are unlicensed and around 300 bakers are members of the AGBCA.

“Most of the bakers, who are a part of the association, are registered with FDA, but there are also some, who are not,” said Fernandes.

The bakers’ association has been requesting the state government for a single-window facility for licensing. “Local bakers, when they want to open a new unit, are asked by the FDA to keep two-three rooms (for different functions), while outside bakers are given the FDA nod even when they operate out of a 5×3 sq mt premises,” alleged Goan bakers.

They said that most outsiders operate several bakeries under one licence, while genuine Goan bakers end up seeking a fresh licence every time they want to expand.

According to the AGBCA, the COVID pandemic has hit their business badly, as residents are afraid to buy ‘pao’ from ‘poders’.

As per the FDA order, issued on August 17, all ‘poders’ in the state delivering ‘pao’ to residents must keep a display board on their cycles with details of name of bakery, FSSAI registration number, contact number etc under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The order also states that traditional bakeries must obtain registration certificate from the FDA under the FSSAI Act and conform to the sanitary and hygienic norms stipulated under schedule 4 of the FSSAI Act. 

“Bakers are not opposing registration with the FDA but the hurdles they face in obtaining the same need to be addressed,” said Fernandes.

Selling pao on cycle? Get registered with FDA

PANJIM: Vendors of local ‘pao’ (bread) who move on bicycles will have to register themselves with the Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) as per food safety norms. 

Traditional bakeries have also been directed to ensure that they operate only after obtaining either the registration certificate or licence from FDA. Last year, FDA had made it mandatory for bread makers to register with the department.

In a statement issued on Monday, FDA has ordered pao vendors on bicycles to register themselves to ensure that safe and wholesome food (bread) is made available to the consumers considering that bread is a staple diet of the Goan population.

Also, in the interest of public health, all individual bicycles distributing bread, post registration, will have to display information boards on each bicycle with details like name of the bakery, FSSAI registration number, contact number etc, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

“The traditional bakeries are required to ensure that they operate after obtaining either the registration certificate or licence, under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and that all bakeries adhere to the sanitary and hygienic norms stipulated under the Schedule 4 of the Act,” the department said. 

FDA has urged consumers to be vigilant and to report such violations, if noticed.

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FSSAI directs States to adhere to food labelling rules with special products

Includes foods sold for special medical purposes and for special dietary use

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Tuesday directed food safety commissioners across all states and UTs to ensure strict compliance of labelling regulations for foods products that are sold for special medical purposes and foods for special dietary use, among others.

These products are consumed by consumers that suffer from hypo-allergenic conditions such as lactose-intolerance or suffer from IEM disorders (Inborn Errors of Metabolism). Companies making food products for special dietary purposes or for special medical purpose need to ensure the labelling enables the consumers to distinguish such food products from food products meant for normal consumption.

This is the second time this year that the FSSAI has directed food safety commissioners to ensure compliance of norms for food products that are regulated under the FSS ( Health Supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special medical purposes, food for special dietary use, functional foods and novel foods) Regulations, 2016. Earlier it had asked them to ensure such products comply with the RDA norms.

Detailed labels

In its latest order issued on Tuesday, the food safety authority said that food products covered under these regulations are required to comply with general labelling norms under the Food Safety Act as well as additional labelling norms prescribed by the 2016 regulations. The label needs to specify the purpose, the target consumer group and the physiological or disease conditions which they address, recommended duration of use, among other such information.

“Since these products are intended for specific physiological conditions or general maintenance of health and are required to be taken as per regulated usage levels by the specific targeted group, labelling provisions for specific food product categories have also been” notified, FSSAI pointed out in its order. It added that labelling provisions for specific food product categories have also been prescribed in these regulations.

“The label, accompanying leaflet or other labelling and advertisement of each type of article of food, referred to in these regulations shall also provide sufficient information on the nature and purpose of the article of food and detailed instructions and precautions for its use, and the format of information given shall be appropriate for the intended consumers,” it the food safety authority added.

FSSAI NOTIFICATION

 

A2 cow ghee: Is it healthier than regular ghee?

01/7Is A2 cow ghee healthier than regular ghee?

There is a lot of buzz around A2 cow ghee these days. While we all know that it is pure cow ghee, what makes it different from the regular ghee available in the market? It is also usually priced high. So is it worth buying?

02/7What is A2 cow ghee?

Cow milk contains both A1 beta-casein protein and A2 beta-casein protein. But some modern research have underlined that A2 protein is healthier than A1 protein. It is believed that the milk of Desi cow has more A2 protein. While in India, the benefits of Desi cow milk and its ghee has always been known, A2 milk was originally popularized in Australia, New Zealand, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom by A2 Milk Company which claimed that A1 protein found in cow’s milk is harmful. However, as per a review by European Food Safety Authority, it was found that bioactive peptides in milk containing both A1 and A2 proteins had no negative impact on health.

03/7The verdict

No doubt, the milk of Desi cow is better and has more health benefits. Also, it is thicker in consistency and produces more ghee. The ghee obtained from A2 milk is superior in taste, is healthier and good for digestion. A2 cow ghee is grainy in texture and is made by heating butter on low flame for a long duration.

04/7Regular ghee

According to Ms. Dolly Kumar, Founder & Director Gaia ,"To produce more milk, it is believed that large scale ghee manufacturers use unethical means to increase the yield, for example by injecting the cow with hormones to produce more milk or adding adulterants in the ghee to increase the quantity. Besides, there are numerous health benefits of pure A2 cow ghee which cannot be found in regular ghee."

05/7Easier to digest

The A2 cow ghee has amino acids which make it easier to digest. It is more nutritious and is well tolerated by lactose-intolerant people and those suffering from IBS.

06/7Maintains general immunity

It is a rich source of unadulterated anti-oxidants, vitamin A, a superior quality protein and a variety of micronutrients that help in building immunity. Pure cow ghee is a part of several Ayurvedic medicines which explains its significant role in maintaining health.

07/7Maintains healthy cholesterol levels

The high level of Omega-3 fatty acids present in this ghee is said to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. The desi cow ghee rich in A2 protein helps build up HDLs or High-Density Lipoproteins that combat cholesterol levels by extracting them out of the bloodstream. Also the presence of proline helps strengthen heart muscles.

No sale of junk food within 50 metres of school campus: FSSAI

NEW DELHI: With the aim to ensure safe and wholesome food for schoolchildren, Arun Singhal, CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's top food regulator, has restricted the sale of junk and unhealthy food in canteens of schools and other educational institutions.

Besides this, the food regulator has prohibited the sale and advertisement of unhealthy food within 50 metres of the school premises.

In a first of its kind, the FSSAI is bringing the new principle regulation-- under the Food Safety and Standard Act which aims to provide a safe, nutritious and healthy diet for schoolchildren.

"The idea is to provide safe food and balanced diet for children in schools. Foods which are referred to as foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) cannot be sold to schoolchildren in school canteens or mess premises or hostel kitchens or within 50 metres of the school campus," a senior FSSAI official told ANI.

In 2015, the Delhi High Court ordered FSSAI to regulate junk food being sold in school canteens. Thereafter, experts committee at top food regulating agency relooked and framed newer guidelines so that children in school get healthy meals.

"Canteen, mess, kitchen operating in school should have a licence from FSSAI. Also, food business operators contracted by the department of education to function the Mid-Day Meal scheme must obtain a registration or licence from the apex food regulating agency and comply with the requirements of hygienic practices as specified under schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards Act."

Regular inspection by municipal authorities and state administration will be done at the school premises to ensure that safe, healthy and hygienic food is served to students, said the official.

Schools administrations have to adopt a comprehensive programme for promoting safe food and healthy diets among schoolchildren and to convert school campus into Eat Right School focusing on safe and healthy food, local and seasonal food and no food waste as per the specified guidelines. This has to be monitored by a nodal officer nominated by each school," added the official.

"School authorities have to promote the consumption of a safe and balanced diet in the school as per the guidelines issued by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)," said another senior official adding that schools have to implement these regulations soon after the date of notification

FSSAI's 'Eat Right India' movement wins 'Food System Vision Prize'

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Sunday said it has been awarded the 'Food System Vision Prize' for its 'Eat Right India' movement's vision, along with nine other finalists.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Sunday said it has been awarded the 'Food System Vision Prize' for its 'Eat Right India' movement's vision, along with nine other finalists.

"Announced by The Rockefeller Foundation, Second Muse and Open IDEO, the prize is for organizations across the globe that have developed an inspiring vision of the regenerative and nourishing food system that they aspire to create by the year 2050," FSSAI said in a statement.

The 'Eat Right India' movement is a collective effort of all stakeholders in the food environment. It includes regulatory actions as well initiatives targeted to food businesses and consumers, it added.

Eat Right India's vision for 2050 aims to create a culture of safe, healthy and sustainable food for all and to address its numerous public health, economic and environmental challenges.

Strong networks and innovative tools have been put in place, so that the Eat Right initiatives can be replicated at scale across the length and breadth of the country by states.

To further bring synergies and collaboration in the area of food safety and nutrition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between FSSAI and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) for seeking collaborative research and information dissemination in this space, FSSAI said.

Need stricter meat industry rules to prevent another Covid — 100 doctors write to Harsh Vardhan

The letter, by doctors who are part of a WHO initiative, seeks a ban on wet markets and closure of slaughterhouses that do not follow FSSAI guidelines.

New Delhi: Hundred doctors from across India, who are part of the World Health Organization’s ‘One Health’ initiative, wrote a letter to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Wednesday demanding stricter meat industry regulations in order to avoid another pandemic in future.

Stating how Covid-19 is thought to have spread from an animal host to humans at a wet market in China’s Wuhan, the letter seeks a ban on such marketplaces.

It also demands closure of slaughterhouses that do not follow Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines or norms under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001.

“Several studies reported that banning the storage of live poultry in live markets at least for a short period of time for overnight drastically reduced the ability to isolate the avian influenza viruses by 84 per cent compared with the standard procedures. Such studies show that a permanent ban on the live markets will help in the prevention of such zoonotic diseases,” the letter stated.

One Health is a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach by WHO for designing and implementing programmes to achieve better public health outcomes.

Doctors from reputed institutes such as AIIMS, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Maulana Azad Medical College, among others, work in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), to endorse the One Health approach in India.

Varda Mehrotra, executive director at FIAPO, said, “The One Health approach is not only a smarter and more holistic initiative, but, with the unified voice of Indian healthcare professionals, also a powerful catalyst for change. The goal behind our collaboration with doctors is to facilitate a safe and sustainable world that is free of zoonotic viruses and a more robust health infrastructure.”

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Dr Rajanikant Nayak, a member of the Odisha-based Krupasindhu Ayurvedic Seva Sadan and one of the signatories in the letter, said, “It is high time we move towards a scientific approach that recognises the unmitigated potential of connecting human, animal and environment wellness. These are no longer detached, but related to each other.”

‘Ban consumption of wildlife’

Along with wet markets, the letter also urges stringent rules to end unsustainable intensive animal farming and ban on consumption of wildlife.

Doctors under the One Health approach work towards endorsing the undeniable connection between the environment, human and animal health.

Dr Anil Kumar, an Ayurvedic medical officer at the Department of Ayush, Health and Family Welfare, Odisha, pointed out how the collaboration between multiple organisations has the potential of bringing tremendous change in healthcare systems.

“The introduction of 2019-nCoV into livestock animals could pose a potential threat to both agriculture and public health. Emergence of COVID-19, after MERS-CoV and SARS-Cov, represents a third major emergence of a novel coronavirus. It is now time to learn from the lessons of these two previous outbreaks to prevent the spread of further disease from 2019-nCoV,” the letter to Harsh Vardhan also stated.

Food adulteration: How to test quality of food products? FSSAI releases booklets for students

FSSAI releases booklets on food adulteration! In a bid to spread awareness about food adulteration, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has prepared lesson plan booklets for school students to detect adulteration of food. As part of the project, separate small booklets have been prepared by a team of experts for the students from class III to class Xth which detail various ways to detect adulteration and impurities in their food. The booklets can be downloaded from the website of Eat Right School, an initiative adopted by the government in the year 2016 to spread awareness about food safety amongst school children.

The booklets which have been released vary in size and content for students of different classes. While the booklet released for class III contains 45 pages, the size of the booklets of class Xth students increases to 68 pages. Far from being just a self-awareness kit for students to get aware about adulteration and its evils, the book is replete with tests, experiments along with their manual procedures which the students can undertake to actually detect adulterated food. The team of experts also appear to have factored in the need of trained teachers and school laboratories while preparing the course book as the lessons are detailed and need the infrastructure of a functional science lab to be undertaken. Apart from detailing the types of adulteration and resulting harms, the booklets consist of major lab tests to test the quality of various food products. For instance, the booklet for class 3 grade consists of tests to check the quality of food products like milk, egg, honey, pulses, salt, butter, icecream among others.

Each test is accompanied by a manual procedure to be adopted and various steps to be followed to ascertain the quality of the food products. At the beginning of the book, a note to teachers has also been appended along with general lab safety rules to be complied by the students and teachers. The booklets have also been interspersed with various coloured photographs to help students learn better and also keep them hooked to the experiments. While the initiative is laudable as leave aside students, even adults are devoid of any functional knowledge to test adulteration in various food products, the real success will only come if such experiments are conducted on a large scale in various schools spanning across different parts of the country.

Is that milk safe?

India is the world’s largest milk producer; it produced a massive 188 million tonnes in 2018-19. Urban areas consume 52 per cent of this milk, and the unorganised sector, comprising milkmen and contractors, caters to 60 per cent of this consumer base; the remaining demand is met by dairy cooperatives and private dairies which represent the organised sector. 

But how healthy is the milk that we consume?

An online meeting and consultation of key stakeholders, organisedhere on July 28 by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)on the subject of antibiotic use in the Indian dairy sector, put the spotlight on this question and its answers. The event was attended by a wide spectrum of experts and participants from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB); the World Health Organization (WHO); the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation;and representatives from specialised educational and research institutions, civil society bodies, and concerned departments from different states.

CSE has recently published its assessment of antibiotic use in the country’s dairy industry and its findings are disturbing.“We have found that antibiotics are extensively misused in the dairy sector; antibiotic residues remain largely untested in milk, an integral part of Indian diets, particularly of children.We are concerned. While we continue to struggle against COVID-19, we are staring at another pandemic like situation – that of antibiotic resistance fueled by the way we are producing our food, which has become chemical-intensive,” said CSE director general SunitaNarain, speaking at the meeting.

CSE’s assessment shows that dairy farmers indiscriminately use antibiotics for diseases such as mastitis (infection/inflammation of the udder), a common ailment in dairy animals. Often, these include critically important antibiotics (CIAs) for humans – the World Health Organization (WHO)has warned that these antibiotics should be preserved in view of the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance. These CIAs include aminoglycosides and penicillins as well as third-generation cephalosporins and fluroquinolones, which are considered highest priority critically important antibiotics (HPCIAs).

These antibiotics – despite a law against it – are easily available without the prescription of a registered veterinarian and stocked at farms. Farmers often inject animals based on their own judgement of signs and symptoms of a disease without any veterinary supervision.

CSE researchers also pointtowards inadequate focus on testing for antibiotic residues in the milk collected by some state milk federations, which process it and sell packaged milk and dairy products under popular brands.

“Farmers often sell milk while the animal is under treatment, which increases the chances of antibiotic residues in the milk. While milk sold directly to consumers is not tested, contrary to what one would expect, processed milk sold in packets is also largely unchecked for antibiotic residues,” says Amit Khurana, programmedirector, food safety and toxins programme, CSE.

He adds: “This explains why despite pooling and processing, packed milk samples from several states had antibiotic residues in the FSSAI’s milk quality survey of 2018.”

Encouraging: Dairy sector acknowledges the problem, resolves to act

CSE researchers note that the online consultation brought forth signs that were very encouraging. Says Khurana: “The issues highlighted by the CSE assessment have been well recognised by the experts and stakeholders. These experts have also recommended several measures for minimisingantibiotic misuse in the Indian dairy sector.”

He points out that “preventative aspects” are showing some success. “Information shared by various organisations, agencies and experts suggest that ethno-veterinary medicines, better management of sub-clinical mastitis and good farm management are contributing towards reducing antibiotic misuse,” Khurana says.

CSE has suggested a series of measures such as limiting misuse of antibiotics, particularly CIAs, and no-use of HPCIAs; modifying existing standards for antibiotic residues in milk accordingly; ensuring antibiotics are not available without prescription; and undertaking routine surveillance of antibiotic residues in milk.

Summing up, Narainsaid: “What is really remarkable and significant is that India is now talking about antibiotic resistance in the one-health perspective. There is a shared concern, and all voices are now together in expressing that concern. The agenda should now move forward. We must ramp up surveillance and testing, put a complete stop to the use of critically important antibiotics and penalise their use and work with farmers and the agriculture-dairy sectors to innovate on solutions.”

Centre plans to restrict margarine in edible items, boost manufacture of butter instead

Margarine, an emulsion of edible vegetable oil, water, and not having less than 80% of fat is a health hazard for the consumer. The PMO has asked FSSAI to issue directives, clarification, and directives, on the future use of margarine in edible items.

The use of the 'margarine', an emulsion of edible vegetable oil, water, and not having less than 80% of fat, has increased immensely in hotels, restaurants, and the places where edibles are prepared and served. This is affecting adversely the health of the people and the sale of the butter made from the cow milk, fetching financial loss to the farmers. The government needs to have control over the sale of margarine, demanded Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Gadkari, the current Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Minister of Shipping and the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the matter.

Taking immediate cognizance of the demand, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) directed the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which immediately issued a clarification, directives, and future courses of action to control the use of the margarine in edible items.

The butter made from cow milk is nourishing for health whereas the margarine has a negative impact on human health due to the presence of the huge trans fat in it. 

Besides, being cheap, margarine is used as a substitute for butter, which has a negative impact on the dairy farmers and the milk collection has been affected unfavorably. 

FSSAI has clarified that limit of trans fats is fixed at not more than 5% in bakery and industrial Margarine. The process is on for reducing the limit of Trans Fats in edible oils and fats not more than 3% by 2021 and not more than 2% by 2022. It has been made mandatory to declare the number of Trans Fats and Saturated Fats on the labels of the margarine products where Margarine is used. 

In order to prevent any possibility of manufacturers of dairy analogs, including margarine, to mislead the consumers, FSSAI is amending the FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 by including a specific definition for dairy analog as margarine is also a dairy analog and specifying the additional labeling criterion for such products.

The name of the product shall be clear as regards to the true nature of the product, dairy term, or phonetically similar or spell alike terms shall not be used in the nomenclature of the product and a declaration "This Is Not A Dairy Product" shall be made on the label. Along with this, a provision is being introduced for use of a specific logo exclusively on the label of dairy product (e.g. Butter) to differentiate the same from dairy analog.

The use of the Margarine and other dairy analogs in prepared food and serving such products at eating places or take - away joints without knowledge of the customers is a challenge as the product packaging (label) is removed from the product before use or serving. To address the challenge the FSSAI is also working and exploring the options to ensure the consumers. 

The restaurants and other eating joints must declare the use of dairy analog, an enforcement drive to check for non-compliance by restaurants will be held, eating joints will be asked to inform the consumers about the use of dairy analogs in prepared food, creating awareness through guidance documents / FAQS, some other specific compositional, labeling requirements which may help consumers to differentiate between butter and Margarine will be taken in. 

The initiative of Nitin Gadkari and immediate intervention by PMO will give respite to the consumers, save from health hazards and will increase the use of the butter made from cow milk helping the farmers as the procurement of the milk will increase for manufacturing the Butter and its use instead of Margarine as its use is going to be restricted in an upcoming couple of years.

Food inspectors pull up sweet shop staff for not wearing masks

Edibles safe, officers on vigil before Rakshabandhan say they’re impressed

Food safety officials did not find adulteration in any of the milk products sold by sweet shops in the capital during an inspection on Sunday, but some staffers at the shops weren’t wearing face masks, a practice that risks coronavirus infection of customers. 

Ranchi food safety officer S.S. Kullu headed the inspection in the wake of Rakshabandhan, which will be celebrated on Monday. “There was no adulteration in food items. While I was impressed by the purity of the food, missing masks from faces of some staff members was a serious problem,” he said. 

Kullu asked staff members and shop owners to religiously follow safety guidelines related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and warned them of consequences if any staffer was found not wearing face masks the next time. 

“Almost all of them (staff) were carrying face masks, but some of them kept their masks in their pocket. Barring this practice, no other anomaly was found,” said Kullu.

Food safety officials conducted on-the-spot tests of edibles at more than a dozen popular sweet shops across the state capital on Sunday as the process of sending food samples to laboratories for test and getting the results takes at least 15 days, officials said.

Is that milk safe?

CSE’s new assessment of antibiotic misuse in the dairy sector says it’s not 

Dairy sector stakeholders acknowledge there is a problem that needs to be tackled urgently through collective action 

CSE’s online consultation and meeting of all key stakeholders held yesterday focuses on indiscriminate use of antibiotics on dairy animals and inadequate attention to testing antibiotic residues in milk 

Reaches consensus between different stakeholders on the nature of the problem; triggers discussions on remedial actions 

New Delhi, July 29, 2020: India is the world’s largest milk producer; it produced a massive 188 million tonnes in 2018-19. Urban areas consume 52 per cent of this milk, and the unorganised sector, comprising milkmen and contractors, caters to 60 per cent of this consumer base; the remaining demand is met by dairy cooperatives and private dairies which represent the organised sector. But how healthy is the milk that we consume? 

An online meeting and consultation of key stakeholders, organisedhere on July 28 by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)on the subject of antibiotic use in the Indian dairy sector, put the spotlight on this question and its answers. The event was attended by a wide spectrum of experts and participants from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB); the World Health Organization (WHO); the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying; the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation;and representatives from specialised educational and research institutions, civil society bodies, and concerned departments from different states. 

CSE has recently published its assessment of antibiotic use in the country’s dairy industry (https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/our-daily-dose-of-antibiotics-71804), and its findings are disturbing.“We have found that antibiotics are extensively misused in the dairy sector; antibiotic residues remain largely untested in milk, an integral part of Indian diets, particularly of children.We are concerned. While we continue to struggle against COVID-19, we are staring at another pandemic like situation – that of antibiotic resistance fueled by the way we are producing our food, which has become chemical-intensive,” said CSE director general SunitaNarain, speaking at the meeting. 

CSE’s assessment shows that dairy farmers indiscriminately use antibiotics for diseases such as mastitis (infection/inflammation of the udder), a common ailment in dairy animals. Often, these include critically important antibiotics (CIAs) for humans – the World Health Organization (WHO)has warned that these antibiotics should be preserved in view of the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance. These CIAs include aminoglycosides and penicillins as well as third-generation cephalosporins and fluroquinolones, which are considered highest priority critically important antibiotics (HPCIAs). 

These antibiotics – despite a law against it – are easily available without the prescription of a registered veterinarian and stocked at farms. Farmers often inject animals based on their own judgement of signs and symptoms of a disease without any veterinary supervision. 

CSE researchers also pointtowards inadequate focus on testing for antibiotic residues in the milk collected by some state milk federations, which process it and sell packaged milk and dairy products under popular brands. 

“Farmers often sell milk while the animal is under treatment, which increases the chances of antibiotic residues in the milk. While milk sold directly to consumers is not tested, contrary to what one would expect, processed milk sold in packets is also largely unchecked for antibiotic residues,” says Amit Khurana, programmedirector, food safety and toxins programme, CSE. 

He adds: “This explains why despite pooling and processing, packed milk samples from several states had antibiotic residues in the FSSAI’s milk quality survey of 2018.” 

Encouraging: Dairy sector acknowledges the problem, resolves to act

CSE researchers note that the online consultation brought forth signs that were very encouraging. Says Khurana: “The issues highlighted by the CSE assessment have been well recognised by the experts and stakeholders. These experts have also recommended several measures for minimisingantibiotic misuse in the Indian dairy sector.” 

He points out that “preventative aspects” are showing some success. “Information shared by various organisations, agencies and experts suggest that ethno-veterinary medicines, better management of sub-clinical mastitis and good farm management are contributing towards reducing antibiotic misuse,” Khurana says. 

CSE has suggested a series of measures such as limiting misuse of antibiotics, particularly CIAs, and no-use of HPCIAs; modifying existing standards for antibiotic residues in milk accordingly; ensuring antibiotics are not available without prescription; and undertaking routine surveillance of antibiotic residues in milk. 

Summing up, Narainsaid: “What is really remarkable and significant is that India is now talking about antibiotic resistance in the one-health perspective. There is a shared concern, and all voices are now together in expressing that concern. The agenda should now move forward. We must ramp up surveillance and testing, put a complete stop to the use of critically important antibiotics and penalise their use and work with farmers and the agriculture-dairy sectors to innovate on solutions.”

Covid-19: Food trade body wants to do away with FSSAI licence for 2020

The Food Safety and Standard Authority Of India on June 18 had allowed extension in renewal of FSSAI licence till July 31

With the novel coronavirus induced disruption showing no major sign of easing, a trade body has urged food regulator FSSAI to do away with renewal of licence for food business for the current fiscal.

The Food Safety and Standard Authority Of India (FSSAI) on June 18 had allowed extension in renewal of FSSAI licence till July 31.

Federation of All India Vyapar Mandal, national general secretary, V K Bansal told PTI, "The last date of renewal of FSSAI licence is approaching and half of the country is still under lockdown declared by the local district administrations. Compliance of renewal of FSSAI licence is on the lower side. In such a scenario, renewal for one year against actual working for 3-4 months is not justified.

"We requested the FSSAI to do away with the renewal of FSSAI licence for the current financial year."

In December, 2019 it was agreed in the presence of FSSAI officials that a suitable amendment will be brought in the FSS (Licensing and registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011 to make the following amendments - removal of provisions for renewal of licence/registration with one-time fee, easy/online submission of annual returns and reduction in licence fee.

Will food safety guidelines for sweets come to force in Tamil Nadu from August 1?

After multiple extensions, FSSAI has fixed the deadline of August 1 for displaying date of manufacturing for sweets and also made it mandatory for them to be sold only in packets.

CHENNAI: Uncertainty looming large over implementation of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) direction that mandated display of date of manufacture and best before date for consumption for sweets from August 1 in Tamil Nadu.

After multiple extensions, FSSAI has fixed the deadline of August 1 for displaying date of manufacturing for sweets and also made it mandatory for them to be sold only in packets.

While traders have decided to seek one year exemption from implementing the FSSAI guidelines claiming huge financial loss on account of coronavirus induced lockdown and lack of alternatives in place of using plastic for packaging, consumer activists demand that the food regulator’s order should be implemented letter and spirit at earliest.

The FSSAI said enforcement for display of ‘date of manufacturing’ and ‘best before date’ of non-packaged and loose sweets on their container or tray at the sales outlets should be followed from August 1 to October 1 this year.

During this period, sweet stalls should them in packets with mandatory instructions, said an official order.

“There are chances of using substandard materials for making sweets and sale of expired sweets as the shops remain closed for several days. At least, the expiry date of each variant of sweets in outlets

should be pasted in the tray in the glass containers,” said an official from FSSAI.

But traders in Tamil Nadu, which has over 30,000 sweet shops, are facing massive difficulties in implementing these measures.

A M Vikrama Raja, President of Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders' Association, said it is nearly impossible to invest money for procuring alternative materials for plastic for packing the sweets given that over 90 percent of the shops are reeling under a financial crunch.

“There are some relaxations for using plastic above 51 microns due to lockdown. Complying with more restrictions during this time would increase the woes of traders," he said.

A few traders who are in the know said debts of traditional sweet stalls attached with hotels manifold during lockdown and 10 to 15 per cent shops expected to get closed permanently in another few months.

Raja said the operational cost for sweet stalls and hotels remained high, but earnings had fallen by 80 percent.

“Many small traders have decided to shut the hotels and sweet shops. Apart from the cost of the materials, migration of workers to northern Ssates has played havoc in the business of major brands. On Monday, we will formally submit a request to be exempt from all the FSSAI regulations for at least one year."

T Sadagopan, president of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumers' Centre said, “The order was issued a few years ago and it remained only on paper. Sweet stalls should not be given any further extensions.

"Sweets prepared using sub-standard or spoiled ingredients may put the consumer’s life at risk at the time of pandemic. While sweet stalls in Kerala display FSSAI certificates and date of expiry for all the products, why can't the similar exercise be followed in Tamil Nadu," he asks.

Greater quality checks soon on milk, edible oil, honey, meat & poultry, says FSSAI new CEO

IAS officer Arun Singhal details the new ways of testing and new regulations at the food regulator, and the reforms that are already underway

FSSAI CEO Arun Singhal

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government plans to increase the quality checks on milk, edible oil, honey, meat and poultry through the country’s apex food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), according to the body’s new CEO, Arun Singhal.

Singhal, a 1987 batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed to the FSSAI in May as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle by the Modi government, having earlier served as special secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The FSSAI falls within the ambit of the same ministry.

In his first interview since his appointment, Singhal told ThePrint that apart from checks, FSSAI will identify more food products that are susceptible to adulteration, and identify the hotspots where this adulteration takes place.

“Five food products which are susceptible to adulteration are now under the strict vigilance of the FSSAI. These products are milk, edible oil, honey, meat and poultry. More products will be added to the high-risk food items,” said Singhal.

“We will increase the scope of market surveillance to identify hot-spot areas of adulteration and conduct national-level surveys for milk, vegetable oils and all other high risk commodities,” he said, adding that the timeline for these surveys has not yet been decided.

New ways of testing, new regulations

Singhal said the FSSAI is focusing on periodic inspections and third-party audits, and conducting focussed checks to ensure safety and quality of food products available in the market.

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“We have approved 30 rapid food testing kits and devices to ensure faster, better and cheaper real-time testing of food at the field level. With this, samples will not be required to be sent to the laboratories every time for testing,” he said.

Also, to increase the access of imported food items in India, FSSAI is set to come out with new regulations for imported food products. Pre-packaged food — such as frozen food, which is packed in a box, can or any other container — is a focus area.

“Under the new provisions, pre-packaged food items can be moved out of ports provisionally, pending test reports. Many more labelling defects can be rectified at the ports, and earlier delays in sampling would be significantly brought down. All these changes would help to facilitate imports,” Singhal said.

Regulatory reforms underway 

Singhal also said core work on various regulatory reforms is underway. For example, on ‘ease of doing business’, the FSSAI is simplifying the processing of applications for licencing and registration.

“IT-enabled e-services are being developed for improvement in existing portals of licencing and registration, imports and testing mechanisms by making them more user-friendly for food businesses. To build the culture of self-compliance, FSSAI has created an online ecosystem for training of food handlers,” the IAS officer said.

The FSSAI is also in the process of strengthening its import clearance system.

“The idea is to ensure efficient and effective import control, post clearance surveillance, robust monitoring and simultaneously reducing the transaction time, cost and physical interface with importers,” Singhal said.

The FSSAI also plans to focus on improving infrastructure, including “strengthening of food testing laboratories, development of new National Food Laboratories (NFLs) at Chennai and Mumbai, along with investment in training and capacity building of lab personnel and field staff”, he added.

Milk, honey, edible oil, meat & poultry soon to undergo severe quality checks: FSSAI new CEO

July 24, 2020

IAS officer and new CEO of FSSAI, Arun Singhal informs new ways of testing and new regulations at the food regulator with many reforms underway.

Modi government, under the guidance of the country’s apex food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), its new CEO, Arun Singhal is planning to increase the quality checks on milk, honey, edible oil, meat and poultry.

From 1987 IAS batch, Singhal an IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed in FSSAI in May as a part of a administrative rearrangement by the Modi government. Singal has earlier served as special secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI falls under the domain of the same ministry.

Since his first talk after his appointment, Singhal informed media that apart from checks, FSSAI will identify more food products that are susceptible to adulteration, identify the hotspots where this adulteration takes place and work upon it as soon as possible.

“Five food products which are susceptible to adulteration are now under the strict vigilance of the FSSAI. These products are milk, honey, edible oil, meat and poultry. More products will be added to the high-risk food items,” said Singhal.

“We will increase the scope of market surveillance to identify hot-spot areas of adulteration and conduct national-level surveys for milk, vegetable oils and all other high risk commodities,” he said, adding that the timeline for these surveys has not yet been decided.

New ways of testing, new regulations

Singhal said the FSSAI is focusing on periodic inspections and third-party audits, and conducting focused checks to ensure safety and quality of food products available in the market.

“We have approved 30 rapid food testing kits and devices to ensure faster, better and cheaper real-time testing of food at the field level. With this, samples will not be required to be sent to the laboratories every time for testing,” he added.

Singal also details that to increase the access of imported food items in India, FSSAI is set to come out with new regulations for imported food products. Pre-packaged food such as frozen food, which is packed in a box, can or any other container is an area of major concentration.

“Under the new provisions, pre-packaged food items can be moved out of ports provisionally, pending test reports. Many more labelling defects can be rectified at the ports, and earlier delays in sampling would be significantly brought down. All these changes would help to facilitate imports,” Singhal said.

Singhal also said that the core work on various regulatory reforms is already underway. For instance, ‘ease of doing businesses’, FSSAI is simplifying and streamlining the processing of applications for licensing and registration.

“IT-enabled e-services are being developed for improvement in existing portals of licensing and registration, imports and testing mechanisms by making them more user-friendly for food businesses. To build the culture of self-compliance, FSSAI has created an online ecosystem for training of food handlers,” the IAS officer said.

The FSSAI is also in the process of strengthening its import clearance system for the betterment of the disturbed economy.

“The idea is to ensure efficient and effective import control, post clearance surveillance, robust monitoring and simultaneously reducing the transaction time, cost and physical interface with importers,” Singhal said.

The FSSAI also plans to focus on improving infrastructure, including “strengthening of food testing laboratories, development of new National Food Laboratories (NFLs) at Chennai and Mumbai, along with investment in training and capacity building of lab personnel and field staff”, he added.

Deadline to display ''best before'', mfg date for loose sweets extended till Oct 1: FSSAI

New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Food safety regulator FSSAI on Friday extended by two months till October 1 the deadline for traditional sweet makers to display the ''best before'' and manufacturing date of non-packaged sweets.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had issued an order in this regard in February and later extended the deadline till August 1. 

"In view of disruption and lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic and representation received from sweets association and stakeholders, it has been decided to give a final extension to the date of enforcement for display of ''Date of manufacturing'' and ''Best before use'' from August 1 to October 1, 2020," the FSSAI said. 

During this period, sweets associations are advised to sensitise and build capacity of their members to implement the order from October 1, it added.

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