FSSAI Order On Upload of Lab Test Reports by Manufacturers, Relabellers and Repackers

In the recent order issued by authority on 13th January 2023, FSSAI has mandated that all the manufacturers including repacker and relabeller shall upload the six-monthly lab testing reports on FoSCoS or link lab reports from the InFoLNet wherever the samples are analyzed by FSSAI notified labs.

Lab testing to be done as per ‘Condition No. 12’ under the licensing & registration rules which says, “Ensure testing of relevant chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in food products in accordance with these regulations as frequently as required on the basis of historical data and risk assessment to ensure production and delivery of safe food through own or NABL accredited/FSSAI notified labs at least once in six months.”

The last date for uploading the lab testing report for the period April 2022 to September 2022 is 31st March 2023.

Thereafter, FBOs will be able to upload the six-monthly lab testing report on FoSCoS within one month from the closing date of respective half yearly period i.e., by 31st October for period of April to September and by 31st April for period October to March.

FBOs have to upload the lab test reports on FoSCoS portal.

FSSAI has given this manadate to bring in transparency and ease out the process of filing the Annual Returns by Food Busines Operators at the end of the financiual year. Manufacturers including Relabellers and Repackers will be benefitted from this order. 

Source: FSSAI

FSSAI : Capping of penalties due to delay in submission of Annual Returns.

 FSSAI : Capping of penalties due to delay in submission of Annual Returns.

Non-submission of FSSAI’s Annual Returns attracts a monetary penalty, but this penalty had no upper capping earlier.

FSSAI has issued a new order regarding the upper capping on the monetary penalty that will reduce the burden on FBOs owing to the accumulated penalties.

To facilitate the ease of doing business, FSSAI has capped the maximum amount of penalty levied due to non-submission of Annual Returns.

"Any delay in filing return beyond 31st May of each year shall attract a penalty of Rs 100/- per day for delay till the date of filing of the return. The maximum penalty that can be levied shall not exceed 5 times the annual fees of the license."

..download FSSAI notifications

FSSAI issues detailed graphic specification of Vegan Logo

Vegan Logo

 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has drawn reference
to Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022  gazette notified on 10th June, 2022 and came in force w.e.f. its publication in the official Gazette.

FSSAI as per the sub-regulation 5(2) of FSS (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022 issued “Guidelines dated 25th July, 2022 for submission of applications for endorsement of vegan logo and formats” for the approval from the Authority.

FSSAI has clarified that upon approval of the application as per Form B, the Food Business Operators are eligible to use the vegan logo. The sub-regulation 4(2) of the FSS (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022 states the following­ “Every package of vegan foods, after the approval, shall carry the logo as specified below”.

In reference to the above, the detailed graphic specification of the Vegan logo is placed at the Annexure-1. Notably the above directions have been issued with the approval of the Competent Authority in exercise of the power vested under Section 16(5) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

.....view and download Gazette Notification

FSSAI Amends Labeling and Display Amendment Regulations 2021

 The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)  came up with a Gazette Notification of Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Amendment Regulations 2021 with amendments in font size and exemptions etc.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India hereby makes the following regulations further to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, namely: - 

1. (1) These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display)         First Amendment Regulations, 2022. 

    (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 

2. In the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 (herein after refer as said regulations), - 

        (1) in regulation 5, - 

            (i) in sub-regulation (3), - 

         (a) in clause (b)(ii) (C), - 

        (A) for second proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely: - “Provided that              saturated fat and trans fat to be given only if total fat content is more than 0.5% in                     final food.” 

        (B) after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: - 

                “Provided further that cholesterol content to be given only for products containing                     fats of animal origin and where total fat content is more than 0.5%.” 

            (b) for clause (c) (xi), the following shall be substituted, namely, - 

                 “(xi) Chewing gum and bubble gum”; 

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FSSAI’s Gazette Notification on Prohibition and Restriction on Sales Second Amendment Regulations 2022

 

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have released The draft of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2021, were published by Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006). The  vide notification of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, F.No.Stds./03/Notification(IFR)/FSSAI -   2017(part-3), published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, part III, Section 4, dated the 06th September, 2021. The objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected have been invited before the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which the copies of the Official Gazette containing the said notifications were made available to the public;

Notably,  the  copies  of  the  said  Gazette  were  made  available  to  the  public  on  the 08th September, 2021 .FSSAI has considered the suggestions received from the public.

Consequently, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India makes the following regulations to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, namely: –

Regulations

• Short title and commencement. – 

1.  These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) First Amendment Regulations, 2022.
2. They shall come into force on 1st April, 2023.

•  In  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Prohibition  and  Restrictions  on  Sales)  Regulations,  2011 (hereinafter referred as said regulations), –

1. In regulation 2.3, in sub-regulation 2.3.14, for clause (4), the following shall be substituted, namely: –

“No person shall manufacture, sell, store or exhibit for sale food for infant nutrition, except under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Certification Mark, wherever BIS standards are available”.

read and download FSSAI document.... 

FSSAI Clarifies Standards of Hypoallergenic Infant Milk Substitutes

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with the approval of all the Competent Authority has clarified the standards of hypoallergenic infant milk substitutes specified under Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020.

The apex body of Food Safety has drawn reference to the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations 2020 published in Gazette of India on 4th December, 2020. The regulations throw light on standards for infant food including hypoallergenic infant milk substitutes. Notably, the date of compliance of these regulations was extended up to 01″ April, 2022.

Consequently, in this regard a direction dated 30.06.2021 was issued to allow the import of two Hypoallergenic Conditions (i.e. severe allergy due to multiple food protein intolerance that cannot be effectively managed by extensively hydrolyzed formula, and cow milk protein allergy) till 31.03.2022.

FSSAI has further clarified that regulation 15(1)(a) of ibid Regulations already covers hypoallergenic infant milk substitute products based on extensively hydrolyzed whey protein or casein or free amino acids. Hence two hypoallergenic conditions mentioned above are included in the regulations. 

The Food Business Operators (FBOs) should fulfill the standards of hypoallergenic infant milk substitute as specified under the above mentioned regulations which will come into effect on 01″ Apri1, 2022.

View FSSAI document

FSSAI’s Directions on Extension of Validity of the NOC for Alcoholic Beverages

In order to facilitate trade and ease of doing business reforms the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) has decided that for the imported consignments of alcoholic beverages bottled in origin & in bulk, containing more than 10 percent alcohol which does not have an expiry date. 

The NOC issued as per the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 shall have a validity of 300 days. For consignments lying at ports/Customs area beyond 300 days, on payment of visual inspection fee, visual inspection may be carried out for revalidation of NOC.

The directions shall be valid till further orders in this regard. The decision has been taken with the approval of Competent Authority in exercise of the power vested with Food Authority under Section 16(5) of the FSS Act, 2006.


View document : FSSAI.