Page 7 - FPM May 2025

7 Food Processing News Today FOOD SAFETY May 2025

Data on food business operators lacking in Significance of eco-friendly

TN, no uniformity in surveillance: CAG report packaging solutions highlighted

h e Fo o d S a fe t y surveillance samples lifted in periodical inspection of Union Minister of State for future of sustainable food
Health and Family Welfare, Shri packaging in India.
Officers in select the districts. Inordinate FBOs, especially street food Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, The consultation was part of an
Tdistricts in Tamil Nadu delay in testing samples and vendors, steps to ensure that
i n a u g u rate d a N at i o n a l ongoing series of national-level
did not have complete data reporting results, allowing the food offered for public Stakeholder Consultation on stakeholder discussions aimed at
on Food Business Operators untested food to be consumption was safe and “Sustainable Packaging for Food holding critical deliberations on
(FBOs) functioning within consumed by the public and conformed to standards Business: Emerging Global critical issues that requires multi-
Tr e n d s a n d R e g u l a t o r y stakeholder engagement. Under
their area, the Comptroller not following food recall besides taking stringent Framework” organized by the the aegis of Ministry of Health
and Auditor General of India, procedures defeated the action against violators, and Food Safety and Standards and Family Welfare, FSSAI has
said. basic objective of food safety p r o v i d i n g a d e q u a t e Authority of India (FSSAI) at launched this pivotal initiative to
Due to the absence of and exposed the public to m a n p o w e r i n t h e Mumbai on 16th April 2025. In c o n v e n e s u c h N a t i o n a l
his address, Shri Jadhav Stakeholder Consultations to
records/details relating to unsafe food. department for effective
highlighted the growing foster greater inclusivity,
inspections, the Audit could The inordinate delay in discharge of statutory importance of sustainable transparency, and evidence-
not derive an assurance that obtaining accreditation by functions were among the packaging of food items. He based policymaking in the
all registered FBOs were Food Analysis Laboratories various recommendations. announced that the guidelines formulation of food safety
actually inspected at least led to samples being sent to The government should put for the use of rPET in packaging regulations. By actively engaging
have been prepared by FSSAI with industry, academia,
NABL accredited private in place a mechanism to
after extensive consultations consumer groups, farmer groups
ensure that 'unsafe' food
with all stakeholders and in line and regulatory bodies, FSSAI
was not allowed for with the best global practices. He seeks to incorporate sector-
consumption, it suggested. also mentioned that a logo has specific perspectives and
On the Integrated Child been developed for easy ground-level insights into its
Development Services in identification and to benefit regulatory framework, ensuring
consumers of food products. that policies are both practical
Tamil Nadu, the report said
Addressing the gathering, Shri and aligned with public health
discrepancies in data of the Jadhav stated that “shifting priorities. The consultation
t o t a l n u m b e r o f towards sustainable methods of featured a Technical Session
beneficiaries in TN ICDS, packaging is the need of the wherein Chairperson of FSSAI's
hour.” He stressed that the usage Scientific Panel on Packaging
Poshan Tracker and Monthly
of plastic is a growing concern presented on the detailed
Progress Reports led to g l o b a l l y , a s i t s t a y s scientific basis, risk assessment
inconsistencies in the data u n d e c o m p o s e d i n t h e p r i n c i p l e s , t r a n s p a r e n t
relied upon to monitor the environment for years having consultative approach employed
once a year by FSOs as per laboratories which resulted implementation of the detrimental consequences. by FSSAI while framing robust
the Regulations, the CAG in discarding 19.79 per cent scheme. “What we need today is a shift scientific standards.
report on Compliance Audit of the collected samples, as "Lack of basic infrastructure towards alternatives that are Representatives from BIS talked
about the Global and Indian
sustainable, recyclable, and
for the year ended March they expired even before viz., separate kitchen, water biodegradable”, he further standards on food packaging and
2023, tabled in the Assembly analysis."This resulted in facility, toilets, play area etc., stated. Hailing India's age-old the overview of the existing IS
said. non-ascertainment of the was noticed in 77 sampled traditional methods, Shri Jadhav standards for packaging
Procurement and supply of quality of samples lifted for A n g a n w a d i c e n t r e s also emphasized the need to materials. The Central Pollution
h i g h - e n d l a b o r a t o r y testing thereby defeating the functioning in government- connect the ancient ecological Control Board (CPCB) shared
practices to modern techniques
about the role that CPCB plays in
e q u i p m e n t w i t h o u t purpose of lifting of the o w n e d a n d r e n t e d to ensure sustainability stating driving sustainable practices
adequate planning, or samples," the report said and buildings," it said. that “India has the potential to through Extended Producer
ensuring the availability of recommended periodical Shortage in enrolment of lead the world in this direction.” Responsibility (EPR) under Plastic
sufficient infrastructure and surveys to bring in all FBOs beneficiaries aged three to He also appreciated the efforts of Waste Management Rules.
Representatives from Industry
Ministry of Health and Family
adequate skilled manpower under the ambit of the Act to s i x y e a r s u n d e r Welfare and FSSAI for providing p r e s e n t e d i n n o v a t i v e
to handle the equipment, ensure a comprehensive and Supplementary Nutrition an important platform in the approaches being adopted to
adversely affected the reliable database of FBOs for Programme and related Pre- form of National Stakeholders d e v e l o p e c o - f r i e n d l y ,
overall performance of the ensuring better enforcement school Education activities, Consultation to deliberate upon lightweight, and recyclable
Food Analysis Laboratories, and administration of the apart, non-testing of crucial issues that affect the packaging solutions tailored for
food and beverage products,
health and wellbeing of the
it said. Procurement and provisions of the FSS Act. weaning food resulted in country.The Minister of State importance of plastic waste
s u p p l y o f h i g h - e n d The government should supply of weaning food short also held an informal open recovery and recycling to support
laboratory equipment address FSSAI for enabling an of nutrient and energy consultation session with circular economy and Consumer
without adequate planning, 'alert system' in the FoSCoS re q u i re m e n t s t o t h e stakeholders, providing them an concerns and expectations
or ensuring the availability of software by which FSOs get beneficiaries, it said. opportunity to share their towards sustainable food
challenges and discuss future
packaging.
sufficient infrastructure and advance notification ahead The report noted that avenues for improvement and The session concluded with a
adequate skilled manpower of the dates by which their monitoring and review growth. The consultation technical debrief by Dr. Alka Rao,
to handle the equipment, RCs/licenses expire so as to committee meetings were brought together over 1500 Advisor (Science & Standards and
stakeholders representing food Regulations), wherein she
adversely affected the ensure that all FBOs carry out not conducted and there was
businesses, packaging industries, emphasized the importance of
overall performance of the on their business with only a shortfall in supervision by r e c y c l i n g a s s o c i a t i o n s , stakeholder collaboration in
Food Analysis Laboratories, valid RCs/Licenses," the ICDS functionaries. "A robust r e g u l a t o r y b o d i e s , advancing sustainable packaging
it said. In the absence of report said.Timely approval and user-friendly grievance environmental organizations, solutions that align with food
consumer groups, farmer safety standards and support
specific targets, there was no for prosecution to punish redressal system was lacking
uniformity in the number of erring FBOs, conducting in the state," the report said. g r o u p s , g o v e r n m e n t India's broader environmental
goals.
departments to deliberate on the
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