Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

In 2006, Indian Parliament has legislated a law that exclusively deals with the issues related to food safety and it is named as Food Safety and Standards Act or simply FSSAI. This legislation states that

" It is an Act to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."

Before FSSAI

Before this law was created, the following procedures were used to oversee the nation's food security

• Order for the Control of Vegetable Oil Products, 1947

• Act of 1954 to Prevent Food Adulteration

• Order for Fruit Products, 1955

• 1973 Meat Food Products Order

Several further actions were also carried out. But in 2006, the government enacted the FSS Act, which is a comprehensive legislation that covers wide range issues related to food safety.

Major Provisions of Food Safety and Standards Authority Act

The Indian Food Safety and Standards Authority carries out the following provisions

• Setting Rules and Guidelines − The FSSAI establishes rules and guidelines that must be adhered to by all food manufacturing businesses while taking cleanliness and food safety into account.

• Granting License − The owner must obtain a certificate and license with the approval of FSSAI in order to pursue any food-related company.

• Test the Standard of Food − The organization itself determines the standard and quality of food manufactured by all businesses registered under FSSAI.

• Regular Audits − To make sure the standards are in compliance with the recommendations, proper inspection is conducted for food manufacturing and production organizations.

• Spreading Food Safety Awareness − The FSSAI is in charge of informing the public about the significance of eating food that is both safe and clean.

• Maintain Documents and Data − The FSSAI is also in charge of keeping accurate records and data for all the organizations that have registered. The license may be revoked for breaking any of the FSSAI regulations.

• Keeping the Government Informed − Any threat to food safety must be reported to the appropriate government authorities for follow-up action. help them develop food standard policies as well.

Initiatives Taken by FSSAI

The FSSAI has also undertaken a number of significant projects with a focus on food safety and standards. Several of these significant endeavors are listed below

• Eat Right India's mission is to give high-quality food to all people, not only to those who need it. The FSSAI hopes to increase access to high-quality food for all of the nation's citizens through this effort.

• Clean Street Food: This entails educating street food sellers about FSS Act 2006 infractions and providing them with training. Additionally, this will contribute to the social and economic advancement of street food sellers.

• Diet4Life is a different campaign the FSSAI has launched to raise awareness of metabolic illnesses.

• Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy is a campaign to encourage food donation and discourage food waste. By doing this, FSSAI hopes to link food-collecting organizations with food-producing businesses and distribute the food to those in need.

In addition, on June 7, 2019, the FSSAI observed the first-ever World Food Safety Day to recognize the role that states, food businesses, and individuals play in preserving food safety.

Evaluation of the Act

Food quality and safety are equally important at the household level as they are in large-scale food production and processing, where food is created and delivered instantly. Many different cuisines used to be made at home.

Secondly, as a result of advancements in technology and processing, increased per capita earnings and improved purchasing power, as well as rising customer demand, a variety of processed foods, food for health/functional foods, have been produced. The safety of these foods must be assessed.

Moreover, public health must be concerned with the quality of food products, both raw and processed.

There are a few obstacles that FSSAI must overcome

• The Organization has to set up suitable laboratories for evaluating the quality of food.

• Assembling skilled personnel to test and validate the manufacturing standards of food.

• Reevaluating the rules and conditions in accordance with international standards.

• Acquiring finances to purchase cutting-edge technology.

• Ensuring that each person and company involved in the production of food has the appropriate licenses.

The organization is capable of regulating and maintaining the food safety standards in all areas of the nation after the Government of India and FSSAI address these issues.

Conclusion

Likewise, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body, which established in 2006 under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Act. The FSSAI is accountable for protecting and promoting public health through the proper regulation and supervision of food safety. The Act empowers the FSSAI to lay down science-based standards for food items and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import, to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which organization has partnered with regulatory body FSSAI to check false advertising in the food and beverage industry?

Ans. To monitor deceptive advertising in the food and beverage industry, FSSAI has worked with ASCI- Advertising Standards Council of India. The advertising industry's self-regulatory body, more common as ASCI, works to guarantee that advertising abide by its Code for Self-Regulation, which stipulates that they must be ethical, respectable, honest, and true, not dangerous or destructive, and adhere to fair competition.

Q2. What is major duty of FSSAI?

Ans. The Food Authority's duty is to: I establish standards for food products based on science; (ii) control the production, storage, sale, and import of food; and (iii) promote food safety.

Q3. What are the FSSAI's top priorities?

Ans. Major priorities of FSSAI are: to establish science-based standards for food products and the regulation of their manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of quality products, which ultimately guarantee the availability of healthy and safe food for human consumption.