Food safety rules to be notified soon

The government is expected to notify new rules on food safety next month to regulate manufacture, sale and import of food items.

"The draft Food Safety Regulations, 2010, have been finalised and sent to the government and these are expected to be notified by August," Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chairman P I Suvrathan said here while addressing a workshop on the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Once the rules are notified, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will come into force. The Act was brought in to consolidate all existing food laws in the country.

The FSSAI was established under the Act. The authority, which is under Health Ministry, has been created to lay down standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food.

Suvrathan said the rules and regulations have been framed after a review of all food laws prevailing in the country. There are at least eight legislations related to food.

He noted that it would be a challenge to implement the food safety law and asked the state governments to come forward for effective implementation.

The rules framed by FSSAI also provide for training and orientation of food safety officers, which will be carried out by the authority itself.

"Food safety officers provide an interface between the government and the industry. Therefore, we provide them training so that food quality inspection levels go up," he said.

Highlighting the need for creating greater awareness about food safety, the FSSAI chairman said that apart from the food industry, common consumers should make it a "national movement".

"We are also working with Panchayati Raj institutions on creating awareness about ensuring food quality, especially in the mid-day meals served in villages. We would also be ensuring food quality standards for food items in the defence and the railway sector through these regulations," he said.