1. Food Regulations/Safety &
Quality Standards
(International Summit on Food Processing and Agribusiness)
S.B.Dongre
Director,
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, New
Delhi

2. Food
Security
Food Safety
Food Safety, Safe Food?
• Food Safety
– Concept that food will not cause harm to the
consumer when it is prepared and/or consumed
according to its intended use.
 Safe Food
 A product which is free of microbiological, chemical or
physical hazards
OR
 A product that does not cause illness or injury when
consumed as intended

3. Why Food
Safety?
Some of the reasons for concern about
food safety?
 Changes in food habits
 Food handling practices
 Changing products, processes etc.
 Globalization of trade in food

4. Lack of Hygiene Unsafe water
kills 7.8 L people annually in India
Source: Safer Water, better health WHO report 2008
Do we know?

5. Food Safety is a global concern
• Food terrorism tops 2009 safety scare list
(By Sarah Hills, 05-Jan-2009)
economic or chemical terrorism, which may not directly intend to
scare people but the intentional adulteration of the food supply
(food terrorism) may be. Food safety scares have major cost
implications for the industry, as well as risking consumer health.
• Food industry urges Congress to reform food safety rules
(By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 26-Jan-2009)
A group of ten major food industry organizations has signed letters
to Congress urging it to modernize US food safety regulation amid
concern that otherwise America could lose its reputation for safe,
good quality food supplies.
• US President has constituted a Working Group on Food Safety
• Most of the Developed and Developing countries has established
Food Safety Regulatory Authorities to address the issues

6. Food Quality Problems
• Earliest recorded problem
• Poisoning through lead water pipes in Rome
• Irish potato famine of 1845-46
• Fungal disease in potato causes million deaths
• Louis Pasteur, 1861.
• Develops Pasteurization technique to
overcome food spoilage
• Later, unhindered development of food
science
• Until . . .
• Rachel Carson s book, Silent Spring
• Brought out bad effects of pesticides – DDT
banned
• Microbial, and toxic contamination
• Effects of irradiation, and fatty and low-fibre
foods

7. Global Initiatives
• While
• food technology was improving, safety
concerns were being raised, and food laws
being enacted
• International trade
• in agricultural commodities and (processed)
food products was on the rise since 1950s
onwards.
• There was a need for
• Harmonized standards for the traded food
products
• Response resulted in establishment of
• Codex 1962

8. Codex Alimentarius Commission
• In Latin, Codex = Law, Alimentarius =
Food
• Hence, it is a Food Law Commisson
• Set up by WHO FAO in 1962:
• World Health Organization
• Food and Agricultural Organization
• Aim:
• To protect health of consumers worldwide
• To guide food industry in defining standards
• Promote harmonization of standards and
facilitate international trade
• Standards for labelling, nutritional labelling,
and HACCP guidelines drawn in 1981, 1983,
and 1993 respectively

9. • A Statutory Regulatory Body under Ministry of
Health Family Welfare, Government of India
• Constituted on 5 Sep 2008
• Mandate of 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.

10. Pre – FSS Act Scenario in Food Safety
Regulation

11. Multiplicity of food laws, standards setting and
enforcement agencies for different sectors of food
Varied Quality/Safety standards restricting
nnovation in food products
Thin spread of manpower, poor laboratories
nfrastructure and other resources restricting
fixation of effective standards
Standards are rigid and non-responsive to scientific
advancements and modernization
nvestor adversary Regulatory Mechanism
Poor Information dissemination level to consumer
evel

12. Health Food Processing
The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
Fruits and Vegetable Products (Control) Order- FPO 1955
Meat Food Products Order (MFPO)1973
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986
Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985
Vegetable Products Control Order, 1976
Existing Acts, Rules and Orders

13. Commerce and Industry
Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972
Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963
Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992
he Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Author
Act, 1985
Agriculture and marketing
Agriculture Produce (Grading Marking)Act,1937
General Grading Marking Rules 1988
Insecticides Act,1968

14. Thrust of the New Act

15. 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
Any order under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 relating to food.

16. Movement from multi-level and multi- department
control to a single line of command
FSSAI as a single reference point for all matters
relating to Food Safety and Standards, Regulations
and Enforcement
ntegrated response to strategic issues like Nove
oods, GM foods, international trade etc
Decentralisation of licensing for food products
Achieve high degree of consumer confidence in
quality safety of food

17. ffective, transparent and accountable regulatory
amework
nvestors friendly regulatory mechanism with
mphasis on self regulations and capacity building
mphasis on gradual shift from regulatory regime to
elf compliance
onsistency between domestic and international food
olicy measures with out reducing safeguards to
ublic health and consumer protection
dequate information dissemination on food to
nable consumer to make informed choices.
echanism for speedy disposal of cases

18. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
FOOD AUTHORITY
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC
ADVISOR
CHIEF
SURVEILLANCE
OFFICER
CHIEF
ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER
CHIEF,PRODUCT
APPROVALS/ QUALITY
ASSURANCE
CHIEF MANAGEMENT
STATE GOVERNMENT
UTs
ZONAL
OFFICES
ZONAL
DIRECTOR
OTHER
OFFICERS
CITY/
MUNICIP
COMMITT
HEALTH
OFFICER
FOOD
INSPECTO
HEALTH
INSPECTO
SANITAR
INSPECTO
DESIGNATED
OFFICER
(District level)
FOOD SAFETY
OFFICER
(Local area)
FSSAI (proposed)
EXISTING
ENFORCEMENT
COURTs
COMMISSIONE
R OF FOOD
SAFETY

19. Role of FSSAI and other authorities

20. raming of Regulations, Standards and guidelines in relation
rticles of food
Guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies/
aboratories
cientific advice and technical support to the Central
Government and State Governments in matters of framing th
olicy and rules in areas related to food safety and nutrition
Collect and collate data on food consumption, Incidence and
revalence of biological risk, Contaminants in food, Residues
ontaminants in food and introduction of rapid alert system
Procedure and guidelines for Risk Analysis methodologies

21. Creating Information Dissemination Network across the
country about food safety
Capacity Building for various stakeholders
Contribute to development of International Technical
Standards for food Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Standards
Promote general awareness about Food Safety and Food
Standards

22. COMMISSIONER OF FOOD
SAFETY
Powers and Duties
Prohibit in the interest of public health, the manufacture, storag
distribution, or sale of any article of food.
Carry out survey of the food processing units in the state to find
compliance of standards.
Conduct training programmes for the personnel engage in the fo
safety.
Ensure efficient and uniform implementation of the standards an
other requirements.
Sanction prosecution for offences punishable with imprisonment

23. SIGNATED OFFICER
Powers and duties
• Issue or cancel license of Food Business Operator.
• Prohibit sale in contravention of this Act.
• Receive report and samples of articles of food from Food
Safety Officer and get them analyzed.
• Make recommendation to the Commissioner of Food Safety
for sanction to launch prosecutions
• Sanction prosecution
• Maintain record of all inspections made by Food Safety
Officers
• Get investigated complaints in respect of any contravention

24. FOOD SAFETY
OFFICER
Powers and duties
Power to take a samples of any food or any substance, to be intended for sale or to have been sol
human consumption
Seize any articles of food which appears to be in contravention of this Act.
Enter and inspect any place where the food is manufactured, or stored for sale
May after giving notice to the food business operator cause the food to be destroyed which is unfit
human consumption
Seize any adulterant found in possession of a manufacture or distributor of any article of food
Penalty for harassment of business operator and also for false complaint

25. ADJUDICATING
OFFICER
Adjudication and Food safety
Tribunals
e Govt. to notify
udicating Officer
below the rank of
d l . D i s t r i c t
istrate.
Central Govt. or State
Govt. may be notify
and establish one or
more tribunals known
a s F o o d S a f e t y
Appellate Tribunals
Central Govt. or Sta
Govt. may constitu
special courts for tr
offences relating to
grievous injury or de
of the consumer
FOOD SAFETY
APPELLATE
TRIBUNAL
SPECIAL COURTS

26. • Covering Health Foods, supplements, nutraceuticals
• Issuing Licenses within a time frame of 2 months
• Provision of Improvement Notice by Designated
Officers
• Compounding and Adjudication of cases – to reduce
Court s workload and expedite the disposal of cases
• Prosecution, if to be launched, should be within 1 year
S Act – New Features

27. • Constitution of Special Courts for summary trials
• Special Tribunals
• Compensation to Victims (for any case of Injury/
Grievous injury/ Death)
• Reward to informer (informing about the
violators – adulteration etc.) by State Govt.
• One composite license for unit(s) falling under one
area
S Act – New Features

28. • Training and Awareness programmes for Food
Business Operators as well as Regulators;
• Ensuring representation in the Authority from
different regions by grouping States into 5
Zones;
• Recognition of Food Safety Audit Agencies to
verify the compliance of Food Safety and
Management systems;
• Encouraging Self regulation through
introduction of Food Recall Procedures; and,
• No License for small food business operators;
S Act – New Features

29. Progress of Implementation of the
Act

30. • Chairperson, Member Secretary (CEO) and Members of th
Authority notified
• Notification u/s 90 of FSS Act issued for transfer of staff
from other Ministries
• Structure of the Authority finalised. Proposal for creatio
of posts is being processed
• Some critical studies on Diet Surveys, Quality Upgradatio
of Food Testing Laboratories, Data-base for Food Safety
Regulations, Trans Fatty Acids, Import regulation regime
etc. are being undertaken.
• States have been asked to notify Commissioners of Food
Safety. 12 States have notified.

31. • The composition of Scientific Panels, Scientific
Committee and Central Advisory Committee has been
finalized
• Draft Licensing procedures, Recall procedures prepared
– under consultation with stakeholders.
• Consultation workshops on transition from PFA to FSSA
are being held- already hold three at Bangalore ,
Mumbai Guwahati

32. TASK AHEAD

33. Specify standards and guidelines in relation to fo
tems, limits for food additives, labelling qual
control
Rules regulation for enforcement activities
analysis of food; Enforcement Model for States
Appointment of Commissioner of Food Safety a
other officers by States
Simplified Licensing and Registration
Designate and finalise upgradation plans for Refer
abs and food laboratory infrastructure
Safety and Quality of Water

34. • Safety Standards in Milk
• Standards for Meat Industry
• Trans Fats and Saturated Fats Standards
• Develop procedures for establishment and
working of Adjudicating officers and Tribunals
• Food Safety Surveillance Mechanism, Recall
Mechanism
• Preparation of Imported Food Safety Action Plan–
Create infrastructure at Ports of entry, lab
facilities and Authorised Officers

35. • Review standards for organic food, GAP, GMP
• Standards of Service Delivery
• Consumer Advocacy
• Harmonization of standards with other Food
Regulators and Codex
• Coordinate with concerned Ministries
regarding stand on Codex matters.
• Consumer awareness for food safety, disaster
management and information dissemination
systems

36. Thanks