FSSAI Hygiene

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.

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 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

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Thursday issued an improvement notice to flight catering company TajSATS after a passenger found a blade-like object in a meal served onboard an Air India flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco. The incident occurred on June 9, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted an inspection at TajSATS Bengaluru from where the food item was supplied. "We have issued an improvement notice to TajSATS, following a detailed inspection at TajSATS Bengaluru," FSSAI CEO Kamala Vardhana Rao told PTI. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, an improvement notice can be issued to a food business operator if it has failed to comply with any regulations and is required to take measures within a reasonable period. The company has been asked to comply with the improvement notice within 15 days, he said. Air India and its catering partner TajSATS are owned by the Tata Group, The airline on Monday had "deeply apologis

Amul on Monday requested a woman customer in Noida to return the ice cream tub, in which she claimed to have found centipede, for further investigation and asserted that it offers superior quality dairy products in both India and global markets. A woman in Noida has claimed she has found a centipede inside an ice cream tub she ordered through an instant delivery app, said food safety officials, who have launched a probe into the matter. In a post on X on June 15, the woman, who identified herself as Deepa Devi, shared a picture showing the insect inside the ice cream tub. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets dairy products under Amul brand, regretted the inconvenience caused to the woman customer in Noida. Noida's food safety department has launched a probe into this matter. In a statement, Amul said it immediately responded to the complaint on social media. "We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to her because of this incident," the statement

The regulation states that the word "reconstituted" must be mentioned against the name of the juice that is reconstituted from the concentrate

Regulators in India have inspected MDH and Everest plants and sent samples for testing after the global scrutiny, though the results have not yet been made public

Consumer protection regulator CCPA has asked Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) to look into the claim of a Swiss NGO, Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network, that Nestle was selling baby products with higher sugar content in less developed countries like India. "We have written to the FSSAI to take cognizance of the report on Nestle's baby product," Consumer Affairs Secretary and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) chief Nidhi Khare told PTI. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also taken note of the report and issued a notice to the FSSAI. According to findings by the Swiss NGO, Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), Nestle sold baby products with higher sugar content in less developed South Asian countries including India, Africa and Latin American nations as compared to markets in Europe. Meanwhile on Thursday, Nestle India had said it never compromises on compliance and it has reduced .

The government has formed a panel to examine the possibility of bringing nutraceuticals under the ambit of the apex drug regulator CDSCO instead of the food regulator FSSAI to address regulatory challenges and promote consumer safety Presently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates the usage of health supplements and nutraceuticals under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022. This regulation covers food items that are specially processed or formulated for specific nutritional or dietary purposes, official sources said. Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that are believed to provide extra health benefits besides the basic nutritional value found in foods The sources said that the challenges in uniform implementation and enforcement, interchangeable usage of the same nutrient/ingredient at ...

FSSAI has improved ease of doing business in food industry as it instills confidence among consumers

The government is looking at ways to regulate street vendors so that some quality standards are imposed on street food, Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Rajesh Kumar Singh said on Thursday. He said that though it is a "tough" call to take, but it needs to be looked at. Addressing FSSAI's Global Food Regulators Summit here, he sought inputs from other countries about their regulations for street food vendors. He said one has to look at whether a financial penalty or compounding is sufficient or a more stringent provisions like imprisonment is required for violating the regulations. Many of foreign tourists here would hear or notice that the best food in India is served on the street by street food vendors. "Therefore, street vendors also need to be regulated...but how heavy-handed should that regulation be. Should we imprison somebody, if the standards are below the standards specified by FSSAI?," Singh said. Food Safety and Standard

Shoddy products don't have health benefits and may cause diseases even, say experts

The letter by FSSAI stated that cook cum helpers are to be trained under the Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) scheme and the funds can be utilised from the states.

A full page advertisement by McDonald's in newspapers had said, "Stuck with Ghiya-Tori Again? Make the 1+1 Combo you love".

A sub-group has been formed to amend rules that govern safety standards at eating establishments