Every package shall carry label with info as under Regulation 2.2.2: Azad

As per regulation 2.2.1 of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, every package shall carry a label containing information as prescribed under Regulation 2.2.2. This information was given by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union minister for health and family welfare, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Friday.

As per Regulation 2.2.1(4), the label shall be applied in such a manner that they will not become separated from the container. Further, as per Regulation 2.3.2, the labelling information shall be given on the principal display panel of the package or container in the following manner:

(i) All information should be grouped together and given at one place, or the pre-printed information be grouped together and given in one place and,

(ii) Online information or those not pre-printed be grouped together in another place.

However, in imported food articles alone, name and complete address of the importer and declaration regarding veg/non veg is allowed in the form of sticker even after arrival of consignment under the supervision of Customs authorities.

Moreover, the recent direction given in the case of M/s Rajputana Distributors v/s Deputy Commissioner of Customs and Others by the Madras High Court Order dated 23.09.2011 in W.P. No.19279 of 2011 is complied with by FSSAI. The operative portion of the judgment is reproduced below:

“As far as the issue in question is concerned, the goods imported are food products, that too, chocolates, which are normally consumed by children and the conditions stipulated with regard to labelling, have admittedly, not been complied with the petitioner. Even as per the stand of the learned counsel for the petitioners, the information furnished is only by way of a sticker. But as per the provisions of the Act, the label must be an inseparable one, as otherwise, to suit the convenience; the importer may fill in any information therein. If the goods imported, especially food products, do not satisfy the specifications mentioned in the act at the time of import then such goods have to be restrained from being brought into the market and in the case on hand, the food products are chocolates, which are normally consumed by children and therefore, safety measures are mandatory. If the conditions imposed with regard to the import of food items are violated, then the question of going to the next stage, i.e. sending them for laboratory testing will not arise at all.”

After enactment of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) started implementation of the Food Import Clearance System (FICS) under Section 47 (5) of the Act at five port locations, namely, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Cochin. At other ports, this function is carried out by the port health officers / Customs authorities.

In some import consignments referred by Customs to FSSAI for grant of NOC for customs clearance, samples were not drawn for testing inter alia due to non-compliance with the labelling requirements prescribed under Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011. Examples of such labelling non-compliances are either absence of the list of ingredients, nutritional information, name & address of the manufacturer, Best Before / Use by Date, declaration regarding food additives, etc. or such information is on attached stickers which are separable.

Tax relaxation for food processing industry: Minister assures all help

Tariq Anwar, minister of state for food processing industries (MoFPI) and agriculture, has assured the food processing industries in the country of all help with regard to tax issues. He revealed this while delivering the inaugural address at a seminar organised by the All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA) on the occasion of its 69th annual general meeting here on Thursday.

Anwar added that the ministry was in talks with the finance ministry on various issues pertaining to tax relaxation and rebate.

He said that the government made representations about issues raised by the industry about fiscal incentives, including income tax rebate, relaxation in service tax, custom duties, and central excise.

Anwar informed that the ministry had suggested tax rebate not only for new units, but for existing ones as well. He also urged the industry to come up for improving farming in the country and source the raw material directly from farms.

Expressing regret for not utilising the overall budget allocated for the food processing sector, he urged the industry to come forward and invest in the sector to utilise the maximum benefit out of the schemes run by the ministry.
 Meanwhile, Piruz Khambatta, chairman and managing director, Rasna Pvt Ltd, has called for industry’s initiative for taking up the issue of single-window system for all the clearances needed by the processing sector.

He suggested the setting up of a facilitating centre hosted by the organisations like AIFPA to take up the charge to help the entrepreneurs get all sorts of clearances required.

Khambatta was speaking on the issue of need for a single-window system for all clearances to attract prospective entrepreneurs. He added that at least 35 different regulations, at both the Central and state level, the industry needs to clear for setting up the units.

So instead of waiting for the government to come up with some kind of solution, the industry should set up a facilitating centre headed by somebody from the processing fraternity.

“He also emphasised on the role of food processing industries for lowering the inflation in the country. He said that the average prices for processing products are less than raw produce available in market. And therefore, the processing industry could well spearhead the drive that could help people combat inflation,” he said.

On this occasion, the first Dr A G Naik Kurade Memorial Lecture was hosted by AIFPA. It was delivered by Dr V Prakash, former director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore.

Present on the occasion were M A Tejani, president, AIFPA, P L Kaul, former president, AIFPA, and others.

STEVIA APPROVED BY FSSAI

Minutes of the Tenth Meeting of Food Authority held on 20th September, 2012 at 1100 hrs at FDA Bhavan, New Delhi .Approval of use of Steviol Glycoside as an artificial sweetener in various food.

The Food Authority noted the recommendations of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food & Scientific

Committee and approved the:

Use of Steviol Glycoside as an non-nutritive sweetener in 11 food items based

1. Dairy Based drinks flavoured

2. Dairy based desserts (ice cream,frozen desserts, cream toppings)

3. Yoghurt   

4. Fruit nectars    

5.Non carbonated water based beverages (non-alcoholic)

6. Ice Lollies / Edible Ice

7. Jams, jellies, marmalades

8. Ready to eat cereals

9. Carbonated water       

10. Soft Drink Concentrate       

11. Chewing gum  

Private milk society raided

The premises of a private milk society in Gudalur was raided on Saturday. Food Safety Officer R.V.Ravi said that there had been an allegation that the society was purchasing a large quantity of milk manufactured by a Coimbatore-based company and selling it after diluting it with water. A sample had been taken from the society and sent for analysis.

Two food safety officers suspended

Commissioner of Food Safety Biju Prabhakar has issued orders placing food safety officers V.K. Pradeepkumar and Biby Mathew, attached to the Pattambi circle and the Shoranur municipality respectively, under suspension for letting off a food business operator (FBO) after allegedly accepting a bribe.

The orders were issued following preliminary evidence that they had deliberately violated procedural requirements for seizing an article of food under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), in connivance with an FBO so that no action could be initiated against the latter.

The FBO had been detained for bringing in palm kernel oil from across the border, suspected to be an adulterant for coconut oil, a press note issued by the office of the Commissioner said.

The officials had detained a tanker lorry transporting palm kernel oil at the Walayar check-post on December 5. It was an inter-State stock transfer from Kaleeswary Refinery Pvt. Ltd., Chennai to their depot in Palakkad.

The safety officials allegedly did not take the surveillance samples from the detained lorry as per the relevant provisions of the FSSA.

Also, the mahassar was prepared without any independent witnesses signing the document.

Procedural requirements under the Act such as issuing a seizure memo and getting the FBO to execute a bond had been violated, the press note said.

To hide all procedural irregularities, an affidavit was made in connivance with the FBO by purchasing a stamp paper on December 6. The affidavit was but executed with the date as December 5. Unlike in previous occasions, the detained vehicle was released without consulting higher authorities, the Commissioner’s press note added.·  

NASVI providing a springboard for Street Food Entrepreneurs

CULINARY ENTREPRENUERS ON STREETS IN INDIA

The Street Food Festival of 2013 is the third edition of Street Food Festival organized by the National Association of Street Vendors of India(NASVI).What began as an internal event of NASVI where street food vendors served different recipes to delegates in the Annual General Meetings has metamorphosed into a mega event where hundreds of street food vendors put stalls serving delicacies from all over the country attracting thousands of customers including customers who have hitherto been skeptical of the street food. The whole event gives unprecedented publicity to the issues of harassment and security of livelihood of street vendors making Policy Makers and administrators think of urgent interventions.

More people depend on street food than on restaurants and hotels in Indian cities. Street Food Vendors not only provide fresh and tasty food but they are also available at convenient location and have good bonding with the customers. And most importantly the whole world of recipe is there – from snacks to beverages to lunch and dinner .Name the dish and you have on the street –also the dishes one has never heard off, dishes which has passed over generations and dishes which vendors have brought from their family kitchen to the streets. Vendors also give a personal touch to the dishes with either a particular spice or method of cooking which makes customers visit only that particular vendor.

As Cities in India are growing bigger the opportunities too are increasing. The opportunities obviously are being used by people with capital. Food Chains are becoming order of the day. Companies claiming to sell Street Food and Food Courts in Mall flaunting street food is a common sight though the taste and the flavor are far removed from what the lakhs of ‘CULINARY ENTREPRENUERS ON STREETS ‘roll out . And as the food at Malls and Restaurants get costlier ,there is a huge potential in the food at the street as more and more urban Indians want to go out for the meals ,a phenomenon not so common in the past but is picking up fast .However Street Food Vendors are more important than the street food  per say . Many players are entering into the street food sector displacing the livelihood of lakhs of street food vendors. In all these contexts mentioned above Street Food Festival becomes significant

The National Street Food Festival being organized on 20^th ,21^st and 22^nd December at the JLN complex is a major advocacy event. The event will be inaugurated by the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister of Govt of India along with the Minister for Food Processing Industry. The inaugural event will also have luminaries like the Chairperson of the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and people from the Private Sector. On the third day of the event will be Award Function .The customers will vote for the Most Popular Vendor and there will also be an award for the Most Popular Woman Vendor. There are also awards on the basis of Hygiene, Cleanliness and Presentation by the Vendors. These awards besides providing them cash also are a recognition of doing best despite the odds and constraints. To give the event a festival cover, cultural performances have been organised by various bands so that the crowd remains engaged as they keep enjoying the delicacies.

The range of the recipes is also enthralling .Litti Murga,Tash Kabab ,Makhana ka Khir ,Mawa Kachauri ,Pyaz Kachauri ,Khasta Kachauri,Dal Bati Churma,Chicken 65, Paddu,Tamrind rice, Mysore Dosa ,Kandah Bajji,Fish Stew,Chciken Achar ,Pani Patasha ,Rab,Hyderabad Biryani,Halim, Double ka Meetha,Crab and Lobster dishes, Sandesh,Rosogulla,Jhing Mach Pakora, Rohu Mach bhat, Odisha Pitha, Thukpa and Momo , Assam tea, Gathiya, Khakhara,Dhokla ,Sabudana Khicdi and Bara, Chole Kulcha and Bahture, Tikki Chaat,Dahi Bara, Mutton and Chicken Korma, Seek Kabab, Variety of Parathas , Kacauri Chaat with banana topping ,Kebabs from Lucknow,Makke ki roti and sarson ki saag   and so on and on and on  .

The Street Food Festival has unleashed the potential of the Street Food Vendors .NASVI has helped them to galvanize into a company called the NASVI Street Foods Pvt Ltd . Street Food Vendors are buying shares of the Company. Like in NASVI, the street vendors will be on board of the company. The Company will intervene in

a)    Setting up  Food Streets and Food Courts

b)    Catering Service

c)    Modern Food Carts

d)    Supply of ingradients to food vendors

e)    Organise Food Festivals across country

f)     Provide training to food vendors

Besides mopping up capital from Street Food Vendors, the Company has also started attracting like minded investors for funds for the company. Some like GBM Foods has come forward and a tie up looks imminent.

As we enter the last leg of preparation for the event, we are also concerned about the proposed law for Street Vendors which was passed by the Lower House of Indian Parliament but has to be passed by the Upper House for it to become law. Since the beginning of the winter session, the Indian Parliament is witnessing daily adjournment. Lot of effort has gone into the Bill and more importantly the Law not only has the potential to change the face of Indian cities and quality of life of Street vendors in India but also show to the World the method of regulating street vending so as to create a win win situation in cities, making cities more orderly along with making lives of street vendors better b securing their livelihood.

Come Join Us, Support The Cause……

Food Safety and Standards Act

The Regulation 2.2.1 of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, prescribe conformity with the IS standards for packaging materials including tin for storing of food product products intended for sale in the Country. These IS standards are notified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, Regulations made there under rest with State/UTs Governments. Random Samples of food items are drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and sent to the laboratories recognized by FSSAI for analysis. In case where samples are found to be not conforming to the provisions of the Act and the Rules and Regulations made there under, penal action is taken against the offender.
Specific data of violations of regulations relating to packaging material, is not maintained centrally.
Harmonization of the national standards for packaging material with those of international standards, by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), is a continuous process.
This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.