FSSAI

India's Food Safety Authority has reclassified packaged drinking water as 'high-risk food', triggering stricter safety checks and audits to ensure consumer health and product quality

The FSSAI has reclassified packaged drinking water and mineral water as a high-risk food category, mandating stricter regulatory controls and annual facility inspections. The move, effective immediately following an order dated November 29, requires manufacturers to undergo mandatory third-party food safety audits and comply with enhanced quality standards. Central licence holders in this category must now submit to annual inspections aimed at mitigating potential health risks associated with packaged water production. The reclassification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) follows recent amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which previously removed mandatory BIS certification requirements for certain food products. The reclassification is designed to strengthen consumer protection and maintain rigorous quality control in the packaged water industry.

FSSAI has asked firms to ensure minimum shelf life of 30% or 45 days before products expire on delivery

This comes at a time when concerns have been raised about food safety standards violations by e-commerce and quick commerce platforms for packaged food products

Food regulator FSSAI on Thursday asked state authorities to increase surveillance in warehouses of e-commerce operators and issue standard operating procedures (SoPs) for delivery personnel to ensure safe food to consumers. According to an official statement, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) held its 45th Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting here on Thursday. In the meeting, States and Union Territories were urged to ramp up surveillance at popular tourist destinations to ensure heightened safety standards in preparation for the peak tourist season from November through March. Keeping in mind the high footfall of both domestic as well as international tourists at popular destinations during the season, States/UTs were advised to utilize Food Safety on Wheels Mobile Labs at these tourist spots. FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao asked "Food Commissioners of various states to step up surveillance on warehouses and other facilities utilised by e-commerce ...

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will hold meeting of its Central Advisory Committee (CAC) on November 7-8 to discuss food safety issues on e-commerce platforms among others challenges. The meeting, to be held under the chairmanship of FSSAI's CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao, will see participation of food commissioners from all states/Union Territories or their representatives. According to sources, the CAC meeting will be held on November 7-8 to discuss various issues, including how to strengthen surveillance and testing of food products across all states to ensure food safety. The CAC will also discuss measures to be adopted to ensure sale of quality food products on e-commerce platforms, they said. The committee will discuss this issue amid reports of sale of food products nearing expiry on e-commerce platforms. Sources said FSSAI is likely to call a meeting of big e-commerce players next week to ensure food safety. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

There has been a dramatic change in the tone and tenor of FSSAI, and the Indian food regulator has now become more pro-active and industry-centred with fast responses in the last decade, said Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan. Moreover, with the setting of more NABL-accredited laboratories by different leaders of FSSAI, the credibility of the testing process has also increased, said Narayanan, who led Nestle India after the Maggi crisis, which unfolded almost a decade back. In June 2015, FSSAI banned Maggi noodles for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing the company to withdraw the product from the market. Industry observers opine that only after the Maggi crisis did the FSSAI come into the limelight across the country though it was established almost seven years ago, in September 2008, to lay down science-based standards for food articles and rules and regulations. Nestle India relaunched Maggi in November 2015 after the ban was .

In August, AICPDF also wrote to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry regarding the rapid growth of the quick commerce industry, which it said is hurting the trade

Meant to nutritional security challenges, rice fortification involves the adding of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12, into regular rice

First Lady of Maldives Sajidha Mohamed on Monday visited the office of food regulator FSSAI and discussed key aspects of food safety standards. According to an official statement, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had the honour of welcoming Sajidha Mohamed, First Lady of the Republic of Maldives and her delegation for a meeting held at FSSAI headquarter in the national capital. During the meeting, Sajidha Mohamed had an "engaging interaction with India's contact point for the Codex Alimentarius Commission, discussing key aspects of food safety standards and regulatory frameworks." The First Lady was apprised of the laboratory ecosystems established by FSSAI to ensure the highest standards of food safety across the nation. She mentioned that it will be "beneficial for Maldives to have a collaboration with India on improving food safety standards of the Maldives." As part of the meeting, FSSAI arranged a brief demonstration of its flagship initiative, Food Sa

Food safety regulator, FSSAI, to reissue notice as controversy over Tirupati laddus' ghee supply continues

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday asserted that controlling chemical contamination in agricultural raw materials is essential for advancing the food industry. FSSAI executive director Inoshi Sharma said enforcing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in crops, fruits, and spices presents a significant challenge. Speaking at an event organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here, she stressed the need for regular audits and the rejection of non-compliant produce at farm gates. Sharma also underscored the importance of educating buyers about the detrimental effects of excessive pesticide use, which can lead to contamination in raw materials. She announced plans to form a committee with representatives from various ministries and departments to address this issue. Furthermore, Sharma emphasised the necessity for accurate labeling and the avoidance of misleading claims by Food Business Organizations (FBOs). She advocated for a culture of 'Self-Compliance' amo

The regulator stated that the advisory dated August 21, 2024, issued regarding the subject cited, has been withdrawn for further consultation with stakeholders

Food safety regulator FSSAI on Monday withdrew its recent advisory wherein food businesses were directed to remove claims of 'A1' and 'A2' types of milk and milk products from packaging. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the advisory has been withdrawn to carry out further consultations with stakeholders. It would imply that food business operators (FBOs) can continue to sell and market their products with claims of 'A1' and "A2' types of milk. A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies based on cow breed. In a fresh advisory issued on Monday, the regulator said, "the advisory dated August 21, 2024...stands withdrawn for further consultation and engagement with the stakeholders". The FSSAI, in its advisory dated August 21, had asked FBOs to remove claims of 'A1 and A2 from their products. E-commerce platforms were also told to remove these claims from products and websites immediately. The regulator had said that the cl

Food regulator FSSAI CEO G Kamala Vardhana Rao has asked states to set up inter-ministerial panel for reducing the usage of pesticides with a view to ensure safe food to consumers. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) held its 44th meeting of the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) on August 22-23 under the chairmanship of its Chief Executive Officer, according to an official statement on Friday. The meeting saw participation of more than 50 officials, including Commissioners of Food Safety (CFS), representatives from states and Union Territories (UTs), senior officials from FSSAI, and members from the food industry, and agriculture sector. Rao "discussed the formation of an inter-ministerial committee to address concerns over pesticide usage". The FSSAI's CEO proposed that each state should "establish this inter-ministerial committee, which will focus on reducing pesticide use, implementing control measures, and developing strategies to monitor and regulate pestic

Changing consumer behaviour takes a lot more than that

Industry players supported the move, stating that it would lead to better transparency and accuracy in dairy product labelling

Food safety regulator FSSAI on Thursday directed food businesses, including e-commerce players, to remove claims of 'A1' and 'A2' types of milk and milk products from packaging, calling such labelling misleading. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said these claims do not conform with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In its latest order, FSSAI said it had examined the issue and found that A1 and A2 differentiation is linked to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk. However, current FSSAI regulations do not recognize this differentiation. "FBOs are instructed to remove such claims from their products," the regulator said, referring to food business operators. E-commerce platforms were also told to remove these claims from products and websites immediately. Companies have been given six months to exhaust pre-printed labels, with no further extensions to be granted. A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies bas

Food regulator FSSAI has given four more months till December-end to food business operators to exhaust all pre-printed packaging materials claiming '100 per cent fruit juices' in their packaged juice products. The decision to extend the current deadline of August 31 has been taken following consultations with stakeholders. In June, FSSAI had asked food business operators (FBOs) to immediately remove claims of 100 per cent fruit juices in advertisements as well as labels on packaged products, amid rising concerns over misleading claims. "Based on the various representation received from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the deadline for using pre-printed packaging materials. The new deadline for utilising these materials is now December 31, 2024," Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in an advisory to FBOs. Additionally, the regulator said that products manufactured by FBOs before December 31, 2024 can be "sold in the market across all channels until

Britain then tightened controls on all spice imports from India, while New Zealand, the United States and Australia have said they were looking into issues related to the brands