Page 3 - Food Safety

World Food Safety Day 2024: Date, history, theme, importance, quotes

On June 7, 2019, World Food Safety Day was first observed. The day aims to highlight the importance of food safety and to promote actions that assists prevention and management of food borne risks

FSSAI asks food biz to remove claim of 100% fruit juice from packet labels

Food regulator FSSAI has asked food business operators to immediately remove claims of 100 per cent fruit juices in advertisements as well as labels on packaged products. According to an official statement, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a "directive mandating all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to remove any claim of '100% fruit juices' from the labels and advertisements of reconstituted fruit juices with an immediate effect. All the FBOs have also been instructed to exhaust all existing pre-printed packaging materials before 1st September 2024. "It has come to the attention of FSSAI that several FBOs have been inaccurately marketing various types of reconstituted fruit juices by claiming them to be 100 per cent fruit juices," the statement said. Upon thorough examination, FSSAI has concluded that, according to the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, there is no provision for making a '100%' claim. "Such claims are

Failed quality test: Patanjali Foods to appeal court order jailing three

A case in this regard was registered in 2021 after reports found the samples did not meet the food safety standards

Spices industry urges immediate action to address food safety concern

Last year, India exported spices to the tune of 1.426 million tonnes valued at approximately $4.2 billion, AISEF said

Trouble mounts for MDH, Everest as New Zealand checks for contamination

Regulators in India have inspected MDH and Everest plants and sent samples for testing after the global scrutiny, though the results have not yet been made public

FSSAI relaxed pesticide norms in April, allowing 10x more residue in spices

Activists had warned against the policy relaxations, pointing to potential health hazards linked to pesticides

Two fall sick after eating at Noida's McDonald's, Theobroma; probe on

FDA immediately took action and visited McDonald's at Noida Sector 18 to collect the samples

US FDA gathering information on Indian spices after alleged contamination

MDH and Everest spices, which are among the most popular names in India and are also sold in Europe, Asia and North America, are also under the Indian regulator's scanner

A weak food chain

Recent controversy points to poor regulation

Everest Fish Curry Masala recalled in Singapore for pesticide concerns

Following a Hong Kong alert, Singapore has recalled Everest's fish curry masala due to high levels of ethylene oxide, a pesticide linked to cancer

Everest denies Hong Kong, Singapore ban; Regulator seeks quality check info

The masala-maker company clarified that only one out of its 60 products have been held for examination in Singapore

FSSAI collects samples of Nestle Cerelac's baby cereals amid sugar row

Regulator says it take 15-20 days to complete the process, responds after news report on consumer goods company

EU flagged cancer-causing chemicals in 527 Indian food products: Report

Recently, MDH and Everest spices have come under scrutiny for allegedly containing traces of ethylene oxide above permissible levels

Supreme Court expands scrutiny to FMCG after Patanjali misleading ads case

Nestle, Bournvita, and MDH have all come under public scrutiny after reports questioning the quality of the consumer goods emerged within the last month

Hong Kong bans sale of Everest, MDH spice mix over ethylene oxide presence

The Centre for Food Safety said there was the presence of ethylene oxide in MDH Group's madras curry powder, sambhar masala powder, and curry powder

PM Modi launches microbiology lab, 17 food testing vehicles for Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually unveiled a new microbiology laboratory and 17 Food Safety on Wheels (FSW) vehicles in Assam, collectively valued at Rs 13.11 crore. In a major step towards enhancing food testing infrastructure across Assam, the laboratory was set up by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Guwahati. In addition, 17 mobile food testing laboratories, known as FSWs, have been provided to Assam in a stride towards ensuring food safety to the last mile. All these facilities were inaugurated by Modi through virtual mode from an event at Rajkot in Gujarat, an official release said. "The microbiology laboratory will play a pivotal role in safeguarding food safety by detecting various microorganisms, including pathogens in food products," it added. The FSWs, equipped with cutting-edge facilities and expert staff, will not only enhance testing capabilities but also deliver essential training to strengthen food safety practices, the release

Govt increases authorised capital of FCI from Rs 10K cr to Rs 21K cr

The government has increased the authorised capital of state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 21,000 crore to enhance the operational capabilities and fulfill its mandate effectively, the Food Ministry said on Saturday. FCI is the central government's nodal agency that undertakes procurement of foodgrains at a minimum support price (MSP) to protect the interest of farmers. It also maintains strategic stocks and distributes the grains under different welfare schemes. "The increase in authorized capital is a significant step towards enhancing the operational capabilities of FCI in fulfilling its mandate effectively," the ministry said in a statement. FCI resorts to cash credit, short-term loan, ways and means etc. to match the gap in the fund requirement. The increase in the authorised capital will reduce the interest burden, decrease the economic cost and ultimately affecting the government subsidy positively, it said. With this infusion of capital, th

India's food safety regulator has changed approach, set global standards

FSSAI has improved ease of doing business in food industry as it instills confidence among consumers

BIS, AGMARK certification no longer must for food products: FSSAI

Sources said this decision taken at the meeting will go a long way in fostering ease of doing business in the food business in the country

Govt amends food safety rules, only FSSAI nod mandatory for products

The government has approved various amendments in food safety and standard regulations, under which only one certification from food regulator FSSAI will be required for food products. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will issue a draft notification in this regard and will seek stakeholders' comments before finalising the amendments. For food products, certifications from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and AGMARK will not be needed if these amendments are finalised. In a statement, the Health Ministry said the FSSAI in its 43rd meeting approved various amendments to streamline food safety and standards regulations. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra. The ministry said that "only FSSAI certification would be mandatory for food products following finalisation of the amendments." The move would facilitate ease of doing business through the concept of One Nation, One Commodity, One Regulator'. "Various amend