Traders demand repeal of all FSSAI advisories since 2013

They have also asked Health Minister to constitute a committee of senior officials and representatives of stakeholders to suggest amendments to the FSSAI Act

All advisories issued by the food regulator FSSAI since 2013 should be withdrawn, traders' body CAIT has demanded.

The traders' body in a letter to Health Minister J P Nadda has written that "all advisories issued by FSSAI since year 2013 should be withdrawn immediately to give respect to a Supreme Court order".

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently got a jolt from the Supreme Court, which dismissed its plea against a Bombay High Court order staying its 2013 advisory requiring manufacturers to take approvals for the products already in the market.

It has been observed that since a long time, FSSAI is conducting its working through issuing advisories from time to time not only to State FDA Departments but even to Stakeholders, CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement released today.

"Since 2013, FSSAI has issued about 15 advisories which are in public domain and with order of Supreme Court, all such advisories tend to be redundant and as such liable to be withdrawn," the statement claimed.

CAIT has urged the Health Minister to take immediate cognisance of the matter and take actions so that the food business operators may not be harassed by the administrative system.

The lobby has also asked the minister to constitute a committee of senior officials and representatives of stakeholders to suggest amendments to the FSSAI Act.

The present Act is designed to promote packaged food business in the country and the MNCs and it is far from ground realities and that of Indian food habits, the statement said.