Wednesday 17 June 2015

FSSAI Draft Norms for Food Recall

Why in news?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) came out with the draft norms amid safety concerns over Maggi noodles, which was earlier this month recalled from the market.
Draft Safety and Standards (Food Recall Procedure) Regulations, 2015, has been put up for public comments.
FSSAI has proposed regulations for recall process with the objective to guide the food business operators on how to carry out a recall process.
What is 'Food under recall'?

'Food under recall' means the specific lot or batch or code number of food item, which has been determined by the food authority or food safety commissioners of States/UTs as unsafe food causing injury or liable to cause injury to health or even death.
Who's responsible for recalls?
Primary responsibility:
  • manufacturer, 
  • importer or 
  • company engaged in wholesale supply or 
  • the brand owner of the food product.
A food business operator engaged in the manufacturing, importation and wholesale supply of food shall initiate a recall process at any time to fulfil its responsibility to protect public health from food that is unsafe for the consumer - as per the draft.

A recall plan must be available in writing and shall be made available to the Food Authority or the commissioner of Food Safety of the State/UT, as the case may be, on request.

What does the draft say about products with warning displayed?
  • "In the case of alcoholic beverages, pan masala, supari, the mandatory mention of warning 'consumption of alcohol/ pan masala/ supari is injurious to health' may not be treated as unsafe food as part of any recall plan unless the beverage or food is determined unsafe as per the classification of recall making it injurious to health or even causing death"

[Sources: The Hindu, FSSAI Draft]

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