Food Safety and Standard Authority Of India - Role s and Resposibility

The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI)has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. FSSAI has been created for 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.

Highlights of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006
Various central Acts like

• 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 1988,
• Solvent Extracted Oil,
• De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order,1967
• Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992

etc will be repealed after commencement of FSS Act, 2006.
The Act also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi- departmental control to a single line of command. To this effect, the Act establishes an independent statutory authority – the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India with head office at Delhi. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the State Food Safety Authorities shall enforce various provisions of the Act.

Duties and functions of the Authority
FSSAI has been mandated by the FSS Act, 2006 for performing the following functions:

• Framing of Regulations to lay down the Standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and specifying appropriate system of enforcing various standards thus notified.
• Laying down mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification of food safety management system for food businesses.
• Laying down procedure and guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited laboratories.
• To provide scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments in the matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food safety and nutrition .
• Collect and collate date regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, residues of various, contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging risks and introduction of rapid alert system.
• Creating an information network across the country so that the public, consumers, Panchayats etc receive rapid, reliable and objective information about food safety and issues of concern.
  Provide training programmes for persons who are involved or intend to get involved in food businesses.
• Contribute to the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards.
• Promote general awareness about food safety and food standards.

Bakery manufacturers need to follow up with food authority for labelling , adultrants , additives and their permissible levels etc .

Food laws in India

Numerous laws has been stipulated by ministry of food and related ministry to check consumer interest and stop malpractices by manufacturers
Following are the acts inacted by govt of India

• Food Safety and Standards Act , 2006
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) 1954 and Rules (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare).
• The Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976, and Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977
• Agriculture Produce (Grading & Marking) Act (Ministry of Rural Development).
• Essential Commodities Act, 1955(Ministry of Food & Consumer Affairs).
• Fruit Products Order (FPO), 1995.
• Meat Food Products Order, 1973 (MFPO).
• Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992.
• The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992 and Rules 1993.
• The Insecticide Act, 1968.
• Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963.
• Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• Pollution Control (Ministry of Environment and Forests).
• Industrial Licenses. • BIS Act, 1986.
• VOP (Control) Order – 1947.
• SEO (Control) Order -1967.

With need to stream line various agencies and laws Indian parliament passed a bill of Food safety and standards Act , 2006 .Single authority has been constituted for handling food related issues . Above mentioned acts ( few related to food safety )will remain enforced till notifications are issued by Food safety and standards authority of India .( FSSAI)

Please check the status on acts and regulation on the official site of Food safety and standards authority of India ( FSSAI)

Apart from above food related laws Bakeries in India have to adhere and following laws for their smooth business.In addition to Commercial licenses and registration following are major laws to be followed by bakeries

Factories Act ( Occupational related issues )

Boiler Act ( Safety )

Air and Water pollution Act ( Pollution Control )

Petroleum Act ( Storage of ldo , hsd , and lpg in factory premises)