FSSAI to launch draft regulations on food labelling, ads, packaging

Draft regulations on food labelling, advertisements and packaging will be unveiled soon, India's food safety regulator FSSAI said here on Thursday.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will launch the draft regulations in a few weeks, said its CEO Pawan Agarwal.

"There will be three separate sets of regulations for labelling, claims and advertisements and third on packaging (materials used). The draft regulations will soon be released across all food groups," Agarwal told the media here.

He said constituents, such as salt, will be marked on a per serve basis in case of labelling.

Agarwal said the FSSAI also plans to empanel third party auditors to inspect facilities of the companies manufacturing food products.

Agarwal was speaking on the sidelines of a consultation on improving nutrition of tea garden workers through food fortification.

It involved the officials from West Bengal and Assam governments, Tea Board of India, India Tea Association, tea companies and industry.

"We have requested the state governments to draw up a road map for food fortification in tea gardens and we will connect them to suppliers of fortified staples," he added.

--IANS

sgh/amit/rn