Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plays a crucial role in regulating and overseeing food safety standards across India, with a strong emphasis on ensuring the integrity and safety of dairy products for consumers. The organization is at the forefront of implementing regulations aimed at enhancing the quality of dairy products in the country.

Important Events

FSSAI has been proactive in implementing measures to prevent consumer confusion and ensure product quality. A notable decision was the requirement for cheese-like products to be labeled as cheese analogues. This move followed alarming findings that 83% of paneer samples failed safety tests, leading to the seizure and destruction of 550 kg of adulterated paneer by the Noida Food Safety Department.

In further regulatory actions, FSSAI imposed fines on Heritage Foods Limited due to product quality issues and issued notices to companies like Param Dairy Limited and Bikanervala concerning hygiene and compliance issues. The Delhi High Court, however, limited FSSAI's jurisdiction to human-centric regulations, explicitly excluding animal feed.

FSSAI also prohibited Dabur India from using '100 percent' purity claims on products like cow ghee and honey, citing violations of the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018. Additionally, a sample of Nestle India's low-fat dairy whitener was declared unsafe and substandard, with these findings publicized on social media platforms.

Company Plans

FSSAI is committed to enforcing stringent regulations to ensure consumer safety and the integrity of food products. The organization is actively revising guidelines to address emerging food safety challenges and has launched a nationwide campaign against dairy fraud. This initiative includes the deployment of 'Food Safety on Wheels,' which are mobile testing laboratories that facilitate rapid testing and promote the use of testing kits across Indian markets.

To enhance traceability in India's milk supply chain, independent milk producers and vendors are now required to register or obtain a food business license, a measure bolstered by mandatory licensing in the East Godavari district following an adulteration incident. FSSAI is also tackling digital misinformation about milk quality by initiating legal actions against social media influencers spreading false information.

The organization is moving towards a 'Risk-Based Inspection' system to streamline inspections for compliant processors while tightening regulations on independent vendors. In a significant operation, unbranded and unrefrigerated tankers carrying suspected adulterated milk were intercepted, with samples sent for laboratory analysis.

FSSAI continues its nationwide surveillance of milk quality in collaboration with State Food Safety Authorities to ensure compliance with safety standards. The authority regulates paneer production standards in India, mandating that paneer be made solely from milk without added starch, non-dairy fats, or synthetic substances. As part of broader efforts against analogue dairy products, FSSAI instructs manufacturers and food service establishments to disclose the use of non-dairy substitutes to consumers.

India’s food regulator is also considering nationwide rules to prohibit analogue paneer. According to FSSAI's CEO, Rajit Punhani, the organization is examining a central regulation for analogue paneer, addressing standards, labeling, and enforcement across states. Additionally, FSSAI is preparing separate draft rules for foods high in fat, sugar, and salt.

On September 26, surveillance officers from FSSAI collected samples from KMF manufacturing facilities and procurement dairies. State health authorities ordered broad analytical checks to assess the product after public concern over the quality of dairy goods.

The organization has been asked by the Delhi High Court to respond to a petition about non-dairy products allegedly sold as paneer. It has six weeks to submit a reply as per the court's notice.