CII advocates integrated food law

Advocating a change in the present food law in the country, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has called for putting in place an integrated food law, covering development, standard setting, enforcement, and consumer safety.

CII has said all current laws governing food quality and safety, including the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, and PFA Rules 1955 must be repealed.

According to CII, the proposed integrated food bill should be tabled in Parliament during the second half of the Budget session.

The classification of food should include functional foods, dietary and nutritional foods, and the regulatory structure should ensure orderly development of food industry and consumer safety, it added by setting standards and uniform enforcement at the State level.

CII has suggested setting up of an autonomous 'Food Regulatory Authority (FRA)' to formulate rules and procedures and to supervise implementation and enforcement.

'A council of food standards (CFS) could assist the FRA to recommend and upgrade food standards based on science based risk analysis to ensure consumer safety,' it said.

CII has further recommended setting up of a food safety administration (FSA) for evolving guidelines for enforcement by the States and monitoring implementation.

It added that the Government could put in place an autonomous Food Regulatory Authority of India (FRAI), which will consider and approve act, rules and regulations, lay down standards, evolve guidelines for enforcement and supervise implementation.

'The CFS could have an executive head and upto 15 other members to be drawn proportionately from scientific bodies, central and State Government, consumer organisations and food industry. The FSA on the other hand could be headed by an administrator not below the rank of a joint secretary, who would evolve guidelines for implementation and uniform enforcement of act and rules,' suggested CII.

CII called for severe penalties for the breach of the new food safety norms and has recommended that willful adulteration should attract deterrent punishment and spurious foods manufacture deemed to be willful adulteration, should also attract financial penalties based on the principle of unjust enrichment.