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The Food Safety and Standards Authority in India (FSSAI) is going to be made the official certification for food products available in India. In a statement issued by the government, the idea is to concentrate all necessary legalities under the exclusive parameters set by the regulatory body, and dissolve the need for AGMARK and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) – a national food standard body that issues ISI licences – to provide certifications.
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Keeping in mind the idea of One Nation, One Commodity, One Regulator, the FSSAI had approved a list of amendments in order to refine the food safety standards and regulations. This 43rd meeting held with the Union Health Secretary, Apurva Chandra, worked towards easing the process for businesses to obtain licenses for products, which will also include Mead, Alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and milk fat products, among other things. What’s also interesting to note is that the amendments also included Haleem – a meat-and-lentil-based dish, which is currently not monitored by any standards or certifications.
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A manual stating the analytical exercises that should be conducted was also introduced and approved, in what appears to be a first-time attempt to include details like the type of fatty acids that must comply in products like ghee, in order to meet authorisation. In attendance at the meeting were also officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Law and Justice as well as the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; States and Union Territories. Once the amendments have been finalised by the stakeholders involved, the FSSAI plans on making it mandatory for all food products.
