Dr. A.K. Singla, SMO  ,  FSSAI Indian food safety and standards Act, 2006 ILRI workshop on safety of animal source foods with an emphasis on the informal sectors, New Delhi, India, 8 February 2011
“ Food "means any substance, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, which is intended for human consumption and includes primary food, Genetically modified or engineered food or food containing such ingredients, infant food, packaged drinking water, alcoholic drink, chewing gum, and any substance, including water used into the food during its manufacture, preparation or treatment but does not include any animal feed, live animals unless they are prepared or processed for placing on the market for human consumption, plants , prior to harvesting, drugs and medicinal products , cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances. Primary food  means an article of food, being a produce of agriculture of horticulture or animal husbandry and dairying or aquaculture in its natural form, resulting from the growing, raising, cultivation, picking, harvesting, collection or catching in the hands of a person other than a farmer or fisherman. DEFINITION OF ‘FOOD’ AS PER FSS ACT
Food safety means an assurance that the food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use  “ Standard”, in relation to any article of food, means the standards notified by the Food Authority. It is of vital importance to all consumers & food business operators- engaged in production, processing, distribution & sale. It provides confidence to consumers that the food they buy and eat will do  no harm to them and that they are protected from adulteration/fraud. FOOD SAFETY -  Why needed ?
The Food Safety & Standards Act  was enacted  by Government  of India on 24 th  August, 2006 For implementation/ enforcement , the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was constituted on 5.09.2008. Mandate :  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. FOOD SAFETY & STANDARDS ACT,2006
SINGLE ACT FOR CONSOLIDATION OF LAWS RELATING TO FOOD Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 Fruit Products Order, 1955 Meat Food Products Order, 1973 Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947 Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order, 1998,   Solvent Extracted Oil, De-oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967 Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992  Any other order issued under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 relating to food.
With the enactment of  FSSA-2006 , the Govt. of India  has created  Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)  as a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety & standards , by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command….  A SINGLE REFERENCE POINT
Framing of Rules, Regulations, Standards and Guidelines in relation to articles of food. Procedure and the enforcement of quality control on any artcle of imported into India Guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of Food Safety Management System for food businesses. Guidelines for accreditation of Laboratories and their notification. Providing Scientific advice and technical support to the Central Government and State Governments in matters of framing the policy and rules in areas  which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition Cont. DUTIES & FUNCTIONS OF FSSAI
Collect and collate data regarding  food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, residues of various contaminants , identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system Creating Information Dissemination Network across the country about food safety & issues of concern Capacity Building through training programmes for various stakeholders in food safety and standards Contribute to the development of International Technical Standards for food , Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Standards Promote general awareness about Food Safety and Food Standards DUTIES  &  FUNCTIONS  OF  FSSAI  (Contg.)
Emphasis on gradual shift from regulatory regime to self compliance through food safety management system. Enforcement of the Act by the (i) Central Licensing Authority,  (ii) State Licensing Authority in each state/ UT through the State Food Safety Commissioners , Designated Officers & Food Safety Officers for Licensing, inspection & sampling etc.  (iii)  Registering Authority -  Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies  No License for Petty/small food business operators - Only registration is mandatory    A single License for one or more articles of food and also for different establishments/ premises in the same area Regulation of food imported in the country Harmonisation of domestic standards with international food standards Cont. SALIENT  FEATURES  OF  THE  ACT
Covering Health Foods, food supplements, nutraceuticals New justice dispensation system for fast track disposal of cases of contravention and compensation in case of injury or death of consumer Graded penalty depending upon the gravity of offences for selling food not of the nature/ substance or quality, substandard food, misbranded food including misleading advertisement Liability of food safety officers ( Section  39 of FSSA) where vexatiously and without reasonable ground seizure of food or adulterant is found with  penalty up to Rs. One Lakh.  A single reference point for all matters relating to food safety & standards , by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command SALIENT  FEATURES  OF  THE  ACT (cont.)
ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM CENTRAL LICENSING AUTHORITY FSSAI  Head Quarters (Licensing) ZONAL DIRECTORS  & OTHER OFFICERS  (for inspections & Monitoring) STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONER OF FOOD SAFETY 34 STATES/UT LICENSING AUTHORITY FOOD SAFETY OFFICER (for Inspection and Monitoring Food Business operators ) DESIGNATED OFFICER LICENSING AUTHORITY City municipal  corporation, town Panchayat, Gram panchayat CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FSSAI REGISTRATION AUTHORITY
PROPOSED REGISTRATION Petty retailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or a temporary stall holder or small scale or cottage or such other industries relating to food business or tiny Food Business Operator are exempted from obtaining licence under the Act.  But for food safety, Registration is mandatory. Such food business operators where annual turnover is not exceeding Rs. 12 lacs &/ or whose : (i)  production capacity of food (other than milk and milk products  and meat and meat products) does not exceed 100 kg/litre per day or  (ii)  production or procurement or collection of milk is up to 500 litres of milk per day or (iii)  slaughtering capacity is 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50  poultry birds per day or less To be done by Local Bodies/ Panchayats/ Municipalities. Cont. REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
PROPOSED  STATE  LICENSING  SYSTEM Dairy units  - More than 500 ltrs milk upto 50,000 ltrs  Slaughtering units- Large animals : more than 2 upto 50 Small animals : more than 10 upto 150 Poultry birds  : more than 50 upto 1000 Meat units – upto 500 kg of meat per day  (upto150 MT per annum) Vegetable oil processing units – upto 2 MT per day All food processing units other than mentioned above including relabellers & repackers – upto 2 MT /day except grains, cereals & pulses milling units. Retail chains – operating in not more than 2 states REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM  ( Contg.)
PROPOSED  CENTRAL LICENSING SYSTEM Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or  process  more than 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum. Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit having installed capacity more than 2 MT per day. All slaughter houses equipped to slaughter more than 50 large animals or 150 or more small animals including sheep and goats or 1000 or more poultry birds per day Meat processing units equipped to handle or process more than 500 kg of meat per day or 150 MT per annum All food processing units other than mentioned under (i) to (iv) including relabellers and repackers having installed capacity more than 2 MT/day except grains, cereals and pulses milling units. Cont. REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
PROPOSED  CENTRAL LICENSING SYSTEM ( 6) 100 % Export Oriented Units (7) All Importers importing food items for commercial use. (8) All Food Business Operators manufacturing any article of Food which does not fall under any of the food categories prescribed under these regulations or deviates in any way from the prescribed specification for additives therein. (9) Retail chains operating in three or more states (10) Food catering services in establishments and units under Central government Agencies like Railways, Air and airport, Seaport, Defence etc. NOTE   - The Prelim Notification of the Draft Regulations had been done on 20th Oct,2010 seeking comments from the public by 21 st  Nov., 2010. The comments are being examined and Final Notification shall be issued shortly  . REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
Quality control on Meat & Meat products under MFPO-1973
Meat & Meat Products are highly perishable in nature and can transmit diseases from animals to human-beings (Zoonotic Importance).  Meat deteriorates faster in India than in cold countries being a hot country having humid climatic conditions Production of meat is governed under local by-laws as slaughtering is a state subject and Slaughterhouses are controlled by local health authorities. The current meat production is estimated at 1.9 million MT, out of this about 21% is exported. Processing of meat products is licensed under Meat Food Products Order (MFPO) , 1973 which was hitherto being implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries w.e.f. 19.03.2004 on being transferred from the Directorate of Marketing Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture.  Since 2.12.08, the work related to implementation of MFPO is being enforced from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India from its 4 regional offices located in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi and also from sub office Chandigarh.   INTRODUCTION
To regulate production and sale of meat food products through licensing the manufacturer(s), Enforce sanitary and hygienic conditions prescribed for production of wholesome processed meat products,  Exercise strict quality control at all stages of from production to consumption, sampling and analysis of meat products In process Meat inspection system – Ante mortem and Post mortem inspection of animals being slaughtered in Category “A” units, physical inspection of meat being processed in preparation of  meat & meat products by Qualified Veterinarians . Issue of Veterinary Health Certificate for exports OBJECTIVES
Under the provision of MFPO-1973 ,all manufacturers of meat food products engaged in the business of manufacturing, packing, repacking, relabeling meat food products meant for sale are licensed but excludes those manufacturers who manufactures such products for consumption  on the spot like a restaurant, hotel, boarding house, snack bar, eating house or any other similar establishment Meat products containing fragments of meat ( Less than 10%) are exempted from the purview of Licensing Meat products having short shelf life which are prepared for  immediate consumption on the same day which can not be stored under normal refrigerated conditions are also exempted from the purview of Licensing SCOPE
Depending on the source of meat the manufacturers are licensed under category A, B & C.  Presently, 330 units are licensed under MFPO-1973  as on 31.12.2010.  Region-wise details are given below: -   CATEGORISATION REGION CATEGORY  A CATEGORY B CATEGORY C TOTAL Western Region 15 39 49 103 Southern Region 18 39 37 94 Northern Region 15 40 43 98 Eastern region 7 9 19 35 Total 55 127 148 330

Indian food safety and standards Act, 2006

  • 1.
    Dr. A.K. Singla,SMO , FSSAI Indian food safety and standards Act, 2006 ILRI workshop on safety of animal source foods with an emphasis on the informal sectors, New Delhi, India, 8 February 2011
  • 2.
    “ Food "meansany substance, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, which is intended for human consumption and includes primary food, Genetically modified or engineered food or food containing such ingredients, infant food, packaged drinking water, alcoholic drink, chewing gum, and any substance, including water used into the food during its manufacture, preparation or treatment but does not include any animal feed, live animals unless they are prepared or processed for placing on the market for human consumption, plants , prior to harvesting, drugs and medicinal products , cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances. Primary food means an article of food, being a produce of agriculture of horticulture or animal husbandry and dairying or aquaculture in its natural form, resulting from the growing, raising, cultivation, picking, harvesting, collection or catching in the hands of a person other than a farmer or fisherman. DEFINITION OF ‘FOOD’ AS PER FSS ACT
  • 3.
    Food safety meansan assurance that the food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use “ Standard”, in relation to any article of food, means the standards notified by the Food Authority. It is of vital importance to all consumers & food business operators- engaged in production, processing, distribution & sale. It provides confidence to consumers that the food they buy and eat will do no harm to them and that they are protected from adulteration/fraud. FOOD SAFETY - Why needed ?
  • 4.
    The Food Safety& Standards Act was enacted by Government of India on 24 th August, 2006 For implementation/ enforcement , the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was constituted on 5.09.2008. Mandate : 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. FOOD SAFETY & STANDARDS ACT,2006
  • 5.
    SINGLE ACT FORCONSOLIDATION OF LAWS RELATING TO FOOD Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 Fruit Products Order, 1955 Meat Food Products Order, 1973 Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947 Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order, 1998, Solvent Extracted Oil, De-oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967 Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 Any other order issued under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 relating to food.
  • 6.
    With the enactmentof FSSA-2006 , the Govt. of India has created Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety & standards , by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command…. A SINGLE REFERENCE POINT
  • 7.
    Framing of Rules,Regulations, Standards and Guidelines in relation to articles of food. Procedure and the enforcement of quality control on any artcle of imported into India Guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of Food Safety Management System for food businesses. Guidelines for accreditation of Laboratories and their notification. Providing Scientific advice and technical support to the Central Government and State Governments in matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition Cont. DUTIES & FUNCTIONS OF FSSAI
  • 8.
    Collect and collatedata regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, residues of various contaminants , identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system Creating Information Dissemination Network across the country about food safety & issues of concern Capacity Building through training programmes for various stakeholders in food safety and standards Contribute to the development of International Technical Standards for food , Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Standards Promote general awareness about Food Safety and Food Standards DUTIES & FUNCTIONS OF FSSAI (Contg.)
  • 9.
    Emphasis on gradualshift from regulatory regime to self compliance through food safety management system. Enforcement of the Act by the (i) Central Licensing Authority, (ii) State Licensing Authority in each state/ UT through the State Food Safety Commissioners , Designated Officers & Food Safety Officers for Licensing, inspection & sampling etc. (iii) Registering Authority - Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies No License for Petty/small food business operators - Only registration is mandatory   A single License for one or more articles of food and also for different establishments/ premises in the same area Regulation of food imported in the country Harmonisation of domestic standards with international food standards Cont. SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT
  • 10.
    Covering Health Foods,food supplements, nutraceuticals New justice dispensation system for fast track disposal of cases of contravention and compensation in case of injury or death of consumer Graded penalty depending upon the gravity of offences for selling food not of the nature/ substance or quality, substandard food, misbranded food including misleading advertisement Liability of food safety officers ( Section 39 of FSSA) where vexatiously and without reasonable ground seizure of food or adulterant is found with penalty up to Rs. One Lakh. A single reference point for all matters relating to food safety & standards , by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT (cont.)
  • 11.
    ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM CENTRALLICENSING AUTHORITY FSSAI Head Quarters (Licensing) ZONAL DIRECTORS & OTHER OFFICERS (for inspections & Monitoring) STATE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONER OF FOOD SAFETY 34 STATES/UT LICENSING AUTHORITY FOOD SAFETY OFFICER (for Inspection and Monitoring Food Business operators ) DESIGNATED OFFICER LICENSING AUTHORITY City municipal corporation, town Panchayat, Gram panchayat CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FSSAI REGISTRATION AUTHORITY
  • 12.
    PROPOSED REGISTRATION Pettyretailer, hawker, itinerant vendor or a temporary stall holder or small scale or cottage or such other industries relating to food business or tiny Food Business Operator are exempted from obtaining licence under the Act. But for food safety, Registration is mandatory. Such food business operators where annual turnover is not exceeding Rs. 12 lacs &/ or whose : (i) production capacity of food (other than milk and milk products and meat and meat products) does not exceed 100 kg/litre per day or (ii) production or procurement or collection of milk is up to 500 litres of milk per day or (iii) slaughtering capacity is 2 large animals or 10 small animals or 50 poultry birds per day or less To be done by Local Bodies/ Panchayats/ Municipalities. Cont. REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
  • 13.
    PROPOSED STATE LICENSING SYSTEM Dairy units - More than 500 ltrs milk upto 50,000 ltrs Slaughtering units- Large animals : more than 2 upto 50 Small animals : more than 10 upto 150 Poultry birds : more than 50 upto 1000 Meat units – upto 500 kg of meat per day (upto150 MT per annum) Vegetable oil processing units – upto 2 MT per day All food processing units other than mentioned above including relabellers & repackers – upto 2 MT /day except grains, cereals & pulses milling units. Retail chains – operating in not more than 2 states REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM ( Contg.)
  • 14.
    PROPOSED CENTRALLICENSING SYSTEM Dairy units including milk chilling units equipped to handle or process more than 50,000 litres of liquid milk/day or 2500 MT of milk solid per annum. Vegetable oil processing units and units producing vegetable oil by the process of solvent extraction and refineries including oil expeller unit having installed capacity more than 2 MT per day. All slaughter houses equipped to slaughter more than 50 large animals or 150 or more small animals including sheep and goats or 1000 or more poultry birds per day Meat processing units equipped to handle or process more than 500 kg of meat per day or 150 MT per annum All food processing units other than mentioned under (i) to (iv) including relabellers and repackers having installed capacity more than 2 MT/day except grains, cereals and pulses milling units. Cont. REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
  • 15.
    PROPOSED CENTRALLICENSING SYSTEM ( 6) 100 % Export Oriented Units (7) All Importers importing food items for commercial use. (8) All Food Business Operators manufacturing any article of Food which does not fall under any of the food categories prescribed under these regulations or deviates in any way from the prescribed specification for additives therein. (9) Retail chains operating in three or more states (10) Food catering services in establishments and units under Central government Agencies like Railways, Air and airport, Seaport, Defence etc. NOTE - The Prelim Notification of the Draft Regulations had been done on 20th Oct,2010 seeking comments from the public by 21 st Nov., 2010. The comments are being examined and Final Notification shall be issued shortly . REGISTRATION/LICENSING SYSTEM
  • 16.
    Quality control onMeat & Meat products under MFPO-1973
  • 17.
    Meat & MeatProducts are highly perishable in nature and can transmit diseases from animals to human-beings (Zoonotic Importance). Meat deteriorates faster in India than in cold countries being a hot country having humid climatic conditions Production of meat is governed under local by-laws as slaughtering is a state subject and Slaughterhouses are controlled by local health authorities. The current meat production is estimated at 1.9 million MT, out of this about 21% is exported. Processing of meat products is licensed under Meat Food Products Order (MFPO) , 1973 which was hitherto being implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries w.e.f. 19.03.2004 on being transferred from the Directorate of Marketing Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture. Since 2.12.08, the work related to implementation of MFPO is being enforced from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India from its 4 regional offices located in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi and also from sub office Chandigarh.   INTRODUCTION
  • 18.
    To regulate productionand sale of meat food products through licensing the manufacturer(s), Enforce sanitary and hygienic conditions prescribed for production of wholesome processed meat products, Exercise strict quality control at all stages of from production to consumption, sampling and analysis of meat products In process Meat inspection system – Ante mortem and Post mortem inspection of animals being slaughtered in Category “A” units, physical inspection of meat being processed in preparation of meat & meat products by Qualified Veterinarians . Issue of Veterinary Health Certificate for exports OBJECTIVES
  • 19.
    Under the provisionof MFPO-1973 ,all manufacturers of meat food products engaged in the business of manufacturing, packing, repacking, relabeling meat food products meant for sale are licensed but excludes those manufacturers who manufactures such products for consumption on the spot like a restaurant, hotel, boarding house, snack bar, eating house or any other similar establishment Meat products containing fragments of meat ( Less than 10%) are exempted from the purview of Licensing Meat products having short shelf life which are prepared for immediate consumption on the same day which can not be stored under normal refrigerated conditions are also exempted from the purview of Licensing SCOPE
  • 20.
    Depending on thesource of meat the manufacturers are licensed under category A, B & C. Presently, 330 units are licensed under MFPO-1973 as on 31.12.2010. Region-wise details are given below: -   CATEGORISATION REGION CATEGORY A CATEGORY B CATEGORY C TOTAL Western Region 15 39 49 103 Southern Region 18 39 37 94 Northern Region 15 40 43 98 Eastern region 7 9 19 35 Total 55 127 148 330