FSSAI
Is FSSAI helping or hurting businesses?
FSSAI [Food Safety and Standards Authority of India] is an autonomous food regulatory authority of
India; established under the statute of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It is responsible for
ensuring public health by deploying food safety policies and procedures.
Before the introduction of the FSSAI Act- there was a lack of consensus amongst fragmented regulatory
agencies to deal with malpractices and other ills that plagued the unorganized food sector. As the
economy continued to grow, the ruling government deemed it fit to initiate a legislative act that would
supersede all previous food regulatory acts. The FSSAI came into existence to ensure fair trade, curb
unhealthy competition, bring in controlled checks on traders and manufacturers, increased
opportunities for employment, to encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship, and finally to ensure the
safety and well being of citizens.
The regulatory mechanism of FSSAI has statutory powers and control over the below main services to
the economy:
a) to frame national regulatory standards towards food-safety;
b) to specify guideline and specifications for accreditation of food testing laboratories
c) to be a scientific and technical advisor to the government;
d) to continually strive towards building a benchmark of excellence in the technical standards in food
research and technology i.e., to be on par with changing dynamics of a global standard
e)
to collect and collate data with regards to food and dietary habits, consumption patterns,
contamination, forecast and assess emerging risks, etc;
f)
to promote an ongoing awareness about food safety and nutrition to the citizens of the country.
The FSSAI is doing a wonderful job of being a regulatory authority and has over the years cracked down
on unscrupulous traders, manufacturers, and unethical promotion of food products. By doing so, it has
ensured the safety and better health of citizens. It has become mandatory to caution and makes citizens
aware of the purchase and consumption of food products. Since the last decade, all food manufacturers
are compelled to comply by mentioning food ingredients, permissible limits of preservative, expiry date,
etc, which was not the case before the introduction of FSSAI Act.
Non-compliance to standard disclosures and audits, have resulted in several manufacturing units either
shut down or go through judicial trials and hefty penalties.