FOODS SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA

Introduction

In order to properly monitor food hygiene and quality in India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established in 2008 under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. It started operating in 2011 and has been in charge of overseeing food safety in our nation ever since.

FSSAI’s main office is located in New Delhi. In addition, FSSAI has six regional offices: one each in Guwahati, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, and Chennai.

Composition of FSSAI

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Consists of

• A chairman ( appointed by the central government )
• 22 members (⅓ should be women )

Previous Major Food Security Laws in India

Concerns about food security first surfaced in 1943 during the Bengal Famine, when millions of people perished while living under British colonial rule. Following independence, India has experienced a variety of food shortages, including a first rush to industrialize while neglecting agriculture and multiple droughts throughout the 1960’s

Pre-independence Era:

 Before India gained independence in 1947, food safety laws were primarily limited to local regulations enforced by municipal bodies and princely states. These regulations aimed to address specific issues such as adulteration and food contamination.

• Post- independence era:

1. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955: 

The Essential Commodities Act was passed by the government after independence in order to control the production, sale, and distribution of necessities, such as food. This law was made in accordance with the aim to stop illegal productions and make customer friendly rates of the products

2. The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954:

This is one of laws framed post independence to prevent adulteration of food and to supply pure food without any mixing. It established standards for various food items and prescribed penalties for adulteration.

3. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006:

 Recognizing the need for a more modern and comprehensive regulatory framework for food safety, the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) was enacted in 2006. This act fulfilled the loop holes of previous acts and  and established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as the apex regulatory body responsible for setting standards, regulating food safety, and promoting public health.

 Why Registration of foods under FSSAI?

First and foremost, it is mandatory for any individual who operates a food business (i.e., a Food Business Operator) to register with the FSSAI or obtain a license. Exceptionally small enterprises are free from this regulation, nevertheless, as long as they register with the food authority. The following are some of the main justifications for registering with the FSSAI:

When a firm has got an FSSAI registration, it becomes more credible and assuring since consumers will feel more confident about the food item’s quality and safety.

• It supports the marketing of the products
• Removing certain rules related to approvals is beneficial.
• Trade is facilitated without compromising people’s (i.e., customers’) concerns about safety.

Who needs to be registered under FSSAI ?

 Individuals, whether natural or artificial or businesses, engaged in the food industry should obtain an FSSAI Registration or License to make it easy for the business to run. Producing, processing, storing, distributing, and selling food items should be the primary business.

Food Business Operators (FBOs) should, necessarily acquire the required license or registration.

Every food packet has the 14-digit FSSAI Registration number, which serves as a licensing number. The 14-digit registration number provides details about the producer and it’s permits.Registration helps in making the FBO responsible for the quality of the food and goods.Food Safety & Standards (Licensing and Registration) governs the licensing and registration process and regulations.

 FSSAI Registration/License is mandatory for FBOs engaged in the following types of business:

• Vendors,Small merchants and retail establishments, such as departmental stores selling snacks, confections, baked goods,  cosmetics etc.
• Food products that are prepared, distributed, stored, and sold at these temporary or permanent food stalls. Examples of these types of businesses include gol Gappa stands, chat rooms, fruit and vegetable vendors, tea shops, snack shops, bread pakoda stands, samosa stands, Chinese food stands, sweet shops, and juice shops.
• Food vendors that travel from one place to another, usually on foot or with portable carts, to sell packaged or freshly made food.
• dairy businesses, such as milk dealers, petty milkmen, and chilling units,units for processing vegetable oil.
• Meat stores and other slaughterhouses, such as mutton, chicken etc
• units for processing fish and meat.
•  Facilities that produce or process food and involve repackaging it.
• cuisine that is unique and proprietary.
• a cold storage or refrigeration facility.
• food product transporter with a variety of specialized vehicles, including food trucks, insulated refrigerated vans and wagons, milk tankers, and food wagons.
• food product supplier, distributor, wholesaler, and marketer.
• Bars, restaurants, and hotels.
• cafeterias and canteens, which serve midday meals.
• catering companies and food vendors.
• Food  served in different dhabas, Paying Guests (PGs), banquet halls with catering services, home-based canteens, and food stands at fairs and religious places.
• importers and exporters of culinary goods, such as ingredients.
• Online food vendors, such as cloud kitchens

What are the FSSAI’s initiatives?

• Heart Attack Rewind is the FSSAI’s inaugural public media campaign. Its goal is to help the FSSAI achieve its goal of getting rid of trans fat in India by 2022.
• FSSAI-CHIFSS is a partnership that aims to foster industry, scientific community, and academic cooperation for food safety. It is a joint venture between FSSAI and the CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Sciences.
• The SFSI, or State Food Safety Index, To assess state performance on five important food safety characteristics, the FSSAI created the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) index.
• The Eat Right India Movement is  the joint initiative started by the FSSAI and the Indian government to remove the food shortage and make sure that people get the basic food necessities.With its emphasis on preventative and promotional healthcare and its major programs, like as Ayushman Bharat, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, and Swachh Bharat Mission, it is in line with the National Health Policy of 2017.
• Eat Right Station Certification: Given in accordance with the meals Safety and Standards Act of 2006, this certification is given by the FSSAI to train stations that meet standards for serving passengers healthy, safe meals.

Who are exempted from FSSAI registration

• Individual members of a cooperative society, self-help group, Mahila Udyog, Gruh Udyog, or any other similar society that is registered with the government who are engaged in the production and management of food business activities from their homes.
• An organization that engages in direct selling, has previously granted written consent for the same, and is prepared to assume full responsibility for each of its direct sellers.
• a milkman or seller who sells all of his milk supply to the relevant cooperative society after becoming a member of that society.
• A courier An agent for direct sales
• The proprietor of the food and drink vending machines
• An ATM for food
• A food cart.

Conclusion

To conclude we can say that Fssai is the brain of almost all the food related rules and regulations that are to be followed by the people in food production, distribution and consumption businesses etc.