Food Safety And Standards Authority Of India (FSSAI)

In a pickle

Consignment contaminated with banned dye

Recently consignments of pickle from India were found to be contaminated with a banned dye Sudan–I. The dye is banned in food in most countries including European Union, Canada, US and India. The consignment, being dispatched by the Chennai office of the Spices Board of India, was being exported to Canada.

GM labeling made mandatory in India

But is it going to be effective enough

Use of genetically modified constituents for processed food will soon have to be mentioned on labels. A gazette notification from the Ministry of Consumer Affairsmakes it mandatory for packaged foods using genetically modified products as ingredients to carry such labels from January 1, 2013. The notification was out on June 5, 2012.

Status of Food Laboratories in India

Dr Satya Prakash, former director, Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata talks to Environment Health Bulletin on the status of labs in India.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had notified Rules on 5th August 2011 under FSSA Act 2006 to give guidelines to food industry for hygiene and regulations/ standards for safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

FSSAI takes energy out of the drinks

But keeps it high on caffeine

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have moved ahead with finalizing rules for energy drinks. They seem to have taken the steps in the wake of the rising health concerns of these energy drinks.

Adulterated milk is what Indians are drinking

70 per cent milk samples collected across the country by food safety authority did not conform to standards

The results of a first-of-its-kind survey on milk by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reveal something startling—most Indians are consuming detergents and other contaminants through milk. 

Capping the Caffeine

Energy Drinks have been in India since 2002. Currently there are several brands such as Red Bull, Coca Cola's Burn, Goldwin Healthcare's Cloud 9 and SJ's XXX in in India. Energy drinks are in controversy because of its high caffeine content. Most of these brands have upto 320 ppm of caffeine in them. These drinks are marketed as an instant source of energy.  

What's in Your Honey

Since the Government of India directed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), in December last year, to revise its standards for honey only two meetings have been held.

FSSAI yet to set Trans Fat rules

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released their proposed norms on trans fats in vanaspati/Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (PHVO) on May 7, 2010. The stakeholders were given one month to send in their comments after which the draft regulations would have been sent to the government for notification.

New Food Regulatory Regime – Changes, Challenges and Way Ahead

Critique of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA) by Minakshi Sharma Dabas, Advocate, Corporate Law Group, New Delhi

FSSAI's Scientific Panel Reconstituted

Old Wine in New Bottle

The Supreme Court on February 8 this year had ordered the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to reconstitute its scientific panel. The apex food regulatory body had inducted members from the food industry, defeating it's very purpose of regulating the food industry. Of the eight scientific panels, seven had 18 members from big food businesses.