According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), there will be stringent labeling requirements for packaged food suppliers. This is because such food products are extremely sensitive. FSSAI further said that the law requires inseparable or printed labeling on packaged food products. Dilip Kumar Samantaray, FSSAI’s chief executive officer said that the law of the land is applicable to all including importers and domestic suppliers. Therefore, it was mandatory for all to follow the regulations. The duty of a regulator is implementing the law and not violating it. Since food is a sensitive product, it makes no sense to relax the regulatory requirements for packaged foods.
This announcement comes a few months after numerous containers of packaged foods that contained imported crisps, chocolates, cheese, gourmet, noodles, biscuits, olive oil, honey, jams, pasta, and sauces were blocked at different airports and ports nationwide. The blockage was made in the absence of FSSAI clearance. The regulatory body in charge of supervising import of food items to check for quality decline to give permission on the grounds of non-adherence to labeling requirements as per the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
It is essential to keep in mind that food is a sensitive commodity. Moreover, products like chocolates and jams are mainly eaten by children. This implies that the specifications and quality of such products should not be comprised at all costs. In the case where local manufacturers export products to different countries, they need to adhere to the laws of that nation. Samantaray said that India had the responsibility of ensuring that its citizen’s health was prioritized. Having stringent regulations on packaged food products was the first step towards promoting the citizens’ health and well-being.
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