3-month extension to licensing & registration of FBOs deadline - May 4

New Delhi

In tune with the perception that this time a short extension, most probably final, will be granted to the deadline for obtaining licence and securing registration under Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011, FSSAI has extended the date this time only by three months i.e., till May 4, 2016.

So far most extensions have been for six months alternating between February 4 and August 4 ever since the FSSR, 2011, was implemented in the country by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) four years ago.

In this regard, an order dated Feb 5, but uploaded on Feb 9, by the apex food regulator on its website states that the deadline has been extended for three months in accordance to the orders of the Central government. 

According to the detailed order of the ministry of health, the time has been extended till May 4 for FBOs to obtain licences and secure registration under the FSS Act and Regulations thereunder, as Section 31(1) of the FSS Act provides that no person shall commence or carry food business without licence or registration. 

Among the reasons for extension, the order cited representation by various stakeholders including individuals, FBOs and associations seeking extension. 

Meanwhile, FSSAI has indicated that under most of the repealed law existing before the FSSR, the maximum validity of licences was five years, which shall stand expired on August 4, 2016. Therefore it has been decided that the timeline mentioned in the Act be further extended for another three months to take necessary followup action accordingly. 

H G Koshia, commissioner, food safety, Food and Drugs Control Administration, Gujarat, said, "This extension will help to reach the remote areas in the country. Though the extension is small it will enable small food businesses to get registered. Remote areas in the country are of concern, as the awareness activities and initiatives don't reach them easily."

He added, "We, on our part have tried to create awareness among the remote areas of Gujarat and this was done using mobile food testing labs, labs which can detect 30 different types of adulterations, which have proved to be handy. We have distributed such mobile labs to science colleges, food safety officers etc. These awareness initiatives also had 62 workshops in the remote areas with a view to educate rural population. This model of Gujarat state was undertaken two years back and is recently adopted by the food safety department of Delhi." 

However, a number of state food safety departments seem to be unhappy with the decision. 

Further, according to sources, there has been an agreement amongst FBOs and ministry that the extended time will be utilised to define the terms and conditions of the implementation and operationablity of various provisions of FSSR. In this regard, a committee will be set up to see the operational part of the regulations and the remaining part of the licensing and registration will be completed thereby.

FSSAI extends last date for registration under Food Safety Act

Food safety watchdog FSSAI has extended the last date for registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act by three months till May 4 this year.

New Delhi, Feb 9: Food safety watchdog FSSAI has extended the last date for registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act by three months till May 4 this year. A number of registrations have been received in the Health Ministry for extending the time for obtaining license and registration for the further period, Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in a notification.

“Now, therefore, it has been decided that the timeline mentioned in… Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, be further extended for another three months i.E. Up to May 4, 2016,” the regulator said. The earlier last date was February 4 this year. It is mandatory for every food business operator to get registered with the FSSAI.

Welcoming the move, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) praised the government for taking cognizance of the sufferings and plight of the trading community. ”More than 3 crore traders engaged in food business across the country shall be benefited with the extension of the date,” CAIT said in a statement. The traders association added that the food trade and industry are up in arms against this act and its regulations since it encourages packed food habits in the country which is vertically opposed to traditional food habits in the country.

Last date to apply for the food licenses extended

Chandigarh 9 Feb,the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has extended the date to obtain license/registration in compliance to the FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 for the period of the three months till 04 May , 2016 after the matter was taken by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

Earlier the last date was fixed for 4 Feb 2016. Harish Garg national secretary and president of the Chandigarh chapter CAIT has informed that the decision was taken after the CAIT took the demand with the FASSI vigorously.Food Authority has now given a new date till 04 February, 2016. This is the six time that the authority has given the extension to get the license/registration.

“There were plenty of requests from various stakeholders including the individuals, Food Business Operators, various associations and trade bodies to prolong the time line by further one year but the Food Authority has extended the deadline further up to 4 May , 2016.” Said Garg 

Food Business operators will get relief by the move of the Apex Regulator and they alleged that it was apparent as currently only a very small portion of theFood Business Community have applied for the license under the FSS Act, 2006. A large portion of the FBOs who are in the suburban areas do not even know that they need to apply for the license under the FSS Act, 2006.

Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 clearly states that nofood business activity shall be carried out without a valid license or registration. The penalty for carrying out a food business without a license is up to Rs. 5 lakhs along with an imprisonment which may extend up to 6 months. Similarly if someone carrying out a food business without a registration shall be liable for a fine which may go upto Rs. 2 lakhs.

For new Food Business Operators FBOs, they have to first apply for license/registration under the FSS Act, 2006 and get the food authority’s nod and only then should commence their food operation.

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு உரிமம் பெற வணிகர்களுக்கு 3 மாத அவகாசம்

உணவு பாதுகாப்பு தர நிர்ணய சட்டத்தின் கீழ், வணிகர்கள் உரிமம் பெறவும், பதிவு செய்யவும், மத்திய அரசு, மே, 4 வரை, மூன்று மாத அவகாசம் அளித்துள்ளது.

நுகர்வோருக்கு உணவுப் பொருட்கள் தரமானதாக கிடைக்க, மத்திய அரசு, 2006ல், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் தர நிர்ணய சட்டத்தை இயற்றியது. விதிமுறைகள் உருவாக்கப்பட்டு, 2011ல் அமலுக்கு வந்தது. ஆண்டுக்கு,12 லட்சம் ரூபாய்க்குள் வர்த்தகம் செய்யும் வணிகர்கள், உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையில் பதிவு செய்ய வேண்டும்; அதற்கு மேல் வர்த்தகம் செய்வோர், உரிமம் பெற வேண்டும்.

இந்த விதிமுறைகள், 'காலத்திற்கேற்றதாக இல்லை; விதிமுறைகளில் திருத்தம் தேவை' என, வியாபாரிகள் கடும் எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவித்தனர். இதனால், வணிகர்கள் உணவு பாதுகாப்பு துறையில், உரிமம் பெறவும், அனுமதி பெறவும், ஆறு மாத அவகாசம் தரப்பட்டது. பின், அது நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டு, ஆறாவது முறையாக தரப்பட்ட, ஆறு மாத அவகாசம், பிப்., 4ல் முடிந்தது.'விதிமுறைகள் திருத்தப்படாததால் மீண்டும் அவகாசம் வேண்டும்' என, தமிழக வணிகர்கள் வலியுறுத்தினர். இதையேற்ற மத்திய அரசு, மே, 4 வரை, மூன்று மாத அவகாசம் அளித்துள்ளது.

இரு குழுக்கள் அமைப்பு

சட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்துவதில் மத்திய அரசு ஆர்வமாக உள்ளது. 'அவகாசம் தரப்பட்டுள்ள, மூன்று மாதத்திற்குள், விதிமுறைகளில் செய்ய வேண்டிய திருத்தங்கள் குறித்த பரிந்துரைகளை தர வேண்டும்' என, வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டு உள்ளது. ஏற்கனவே, விதிமுறைகள் திருத்தம் தொடர்பாக, மத்திய அரசு, இரண்டு குழுக்களை அமைத்துள்ளதால், விரைவில் வணிகர்கள் எதிர்பார்த்த திருத்தம் வரும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை உள்ளது.

- ஜெயபிரகாசம், தலைவர்,தமிழ்நாடு உணவுப்பொருள் வியாபாரிகள் சங்கம்.

DINAMALAR NEWS

Pepsi batch banned

The Food Safety wing has issued orders banning a batch of Pepsi soft drinks, following a consumer complaint about fungus growth inside one of the bottles she had purchased.

The Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, D. Sivakumar, said that the particular bottle of Pepsi had been purchased by the consumer from one of the Army Canteens in the city and that the bottle clearly seemed to have a layer of fat-like thick substance floating on the liquid surface, which on lab tests was found to be fungus growth.

“We have issued orders banning the sale of this particular batch of the soft drink – BN 5414BO7A.S – the manufacturing date being Jan 7, 2016. More field level checks are needed.

US Food and Drug Administration rejected 13,334 Indian products

In January 2016, the US FDA rejected 228 Indian products. In Picture: The US Food and Administration 

Between 2010 and 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected at least 13,334 Indian products. In January 2016 alone, the US food safety regulator rejected 228 products. The rejections come at a time when the Central government has been advancing its "Make in India" initiative.

The rejected products include patented and generic medicines, snacks, bakery products, spices, bath soaps and detergents, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Reasons for rejecting the products include packaging, labelling, misbranding and high residue levels, The Economic Times said.

The regulator also rejected 15,087 Chinese products in the same period, of which 314 products were in January 2016.

"I cannot comment on specific cases. But, there is a problem, ranging from data integrity issues, where some of our firms have been caught fudging data red-handed, to issues with clean environments — there was a case where a sterile area had a leaky roof — which is unacceptable, and so on. Just look at the warning letters issued to our firms. I will not name them, but they are in detail and not arbitrary," Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was quoted as saying by the publication.

On Jan. 5, the regulator rejected three drugs from Intas Pharmaceutical Limited as they had not adhered to the US regulator's guidelines. The next day, two items exported from Andhra Pradesh's RDR Export were rejected citing adulteration as the reason.

"Until a year ago, the Indian industry's focus was not on standard and quality. There may be a lot of reasons for this, but if one has to compete in the global market, this has to be adhered to," Ajay Sahai, Director General and CEO of the Federation of India Export Organisation (Fieo) was quoted as saying by The Economic Times.

Now, UP finds ash in noodles

Knorr Soupy Noodles, Horlicks Foodles Noodles and Ching’s Hot Garlic Instant Noodles were tested.

Months after Maggi storm, the Uttar Pradesh food safety department has found samples of some other instant noodle brands “sub-standard” with ash content in the tastemaker exceeding the prescribed limits.

“The samples of Knorr Soupy Noodles, Horlicks Foodles Noodles and Ching’s Hot Garlic Instant Noodles were picked up from a mall in the city in May last year for testing and its report was received about a fortnight ago,” the Food Safety Officer of Barabanki district, Sanjay Singh, said.

The samples were sent to government Food Analysis Lab in Lucknow where it was found that “total ash of the tastemaker exceeds the maximum prescribed limits... hence the samples are sub-standard,” Singh said.

Against the prescribed limit of 1 per cent, ash content was found to be 1.83 per cent in Ching’s noodles, while in Foodles it was 2.37 per cent and in Soupy noodles it was 1.89 per cent, he claimed.

Notices were sent to all the three companies a week ago giving them a month’s time to make an appeal, he said.

When asked for comment on the issue, a GSK Consumer Healthcare spokesperson said: “We manufacture Foodles as per product approvals received by us from FSSAI and manufacturing licences received by our third party manufacturer from the Authorities. Foodles available in the market have been manufactured in accordance with this product approvals.”

A query sent to Hindustan Unilever, which sells Knorr range of noodles, remained unanswered.

Capital Food, which markets Ching’s Hot Garlic noodles, could not be reached for comment.

Responding to a question, Mr. Singh said the report did not mention the health hazards caused by ash content higher than prescribed limits.

Interestingly, the UP Food Safety Department in May last year had found high lead content and presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) in samples of Maggi noodles.

Later in June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned Maggi noodles, alleging that the instant noodles were “unsafe and hazardous” due to higher than permissible lead content and presence of MSG.

Nestle had then pulled the product off shelves. The instant noodle brand made a comeback in November after passing tests at three government labs, after which the Bombay High Court removed the ban.

Health Deptt.Team Inspects Shops at Grain Market:Samples of Five Items Collected

Chandigarh 09th February:- As per the action plan prepared by Dr. Rajinder K. Sharma, Designated Officer I/c Food Safety Administration, Chandigarh Health Department, Chandigarh, a joint team of Food Safety Officers Bharat Kanojia, Surinder Pal Singh & Bhaljinder Singh on 09th February, 2016 inspected the area of Grain Market, Sector 26, Chandigarh. 

Various wholesalers of the Karyana items were inspected and five samples of Jeera, Poha, Patasha, Rice and Dal Moongi Dhuli were lifted for analysis & examination. The Shopkeepers were instructed to adhere to the norms of Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 and Rules, 2011. 

The shopkeepers were also educated about the common adulterants found in the Karyana items. In addition to this they were also instructed to keep segregation of the food articles from pesticides and other chemical products.

Some noodle brands are sub-standard: Uttar Pradesh food safety department

Food safety officer of Barabanki district Sanjay Singh says notices have been sent to three companies

Barabanki: The Uttar Pradesh (UP) food safety department has found samples of some instant noodle brands “sub-standard” with ash content in the taste maker exceeding the prescribed limits.

“The samples of Knorr Soupy Noodles, Horlicks Foodles Noodles and Ching’s Hot Garlic Instant Noodles were picked up from a mall in the city in May last year for testing and its report was received about a fortnight ago,” food safety officer of Barabanki district, Sanjay Singh, said.

The samples were sent to the government-run food analysis laboratory in Lucknow where it was found that “total ash of the taste maker exceeds the maximum prescribed limits... hence the samples are sub-standard,” Singh said.

Against the prescribed limit of 1%, ash content was found to be 1.83% in Ching’s noodles, while in Foodles it was 2.37% and in Soupy noodles it was 1.89%, he said.

Notices were sent to all the three companies a week ago giving them a month’s time to make an appeal, he said.

No immediate comments were received from the companies. To a question, Singh said the report did not mention the health hazards caused by ash content higher than prescribed limits.

The UP food safety department in May last had found high lead content and presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) in samples of Maggi noodles. Later in June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned Maggi noodles, alleging that the instant noodles were “unsafe and hazardous” due to higher than permissible lead content and presence of MSG.

Nestle had then pulled the product off the shelves. The instant noodle brand made a comeback in November after passing tests at three government laboratories, after which the Bombay high court removed the ban.

UP Food Safety Department Finds More Noodle Brands 'Sub-Standard'

Notices were sent to three companies a week ago giving them a month's time to make an appeal. 

BARABANKI, UTTAR PRADESH: Months after Maggi storm, the Uttar Pradesh food safety department has found samples of some other instant noodle brands "sub-standard" with ash content in the tastemaker exceeding the prescribed limits.

"The samples of Knorr Soupy Noodles, Horlicks Foodles Noodles and Ching's Hot Garlic Instant Noodles were picked up from a mall in the city in May last year for testing and its report was received about a fortnight ago," the Food Safety Officer of Barabanki district, Sanjay Singh, said.

The samples were sent to government Food Analysis Lab in Lucknow where it was found that "total ash of the tastemaker exceeds the maximum prescribed limits ... hence the samples are sub-standard," Singh said.

Against the prescribed limit of 1 per cent, ash content was found to be 1.83 per cent in Ching's noodles, while in Foodles it was 2.37 per cent and in Soupy noodles it was 1.89 per cent, he claimed.

Notices were sent to all the three companies a week ago giving them a month's time to make an appeal, he said.

No immediate comments were received from the companies. To a question, Singh said the report did not mention the health hazards caused by ash content higher than prescribed limits.

Interestingly, the UP Food Safety Department in May last had found high lead content and presence of taste enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) in samples of Maggi noodles.

Later in June, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned Maggi noodles, alleging that the instant noodles were "unsafe and hazardous" due to higher than permissible lead content and presence of MSG.

Nestle had then pulled the product off shelves.

The instant noodle brand made a comeback in November after passing tests at three government labs, after which the Bombay High Court removed the ban.