Lok Sabha Question No. 3018 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: Excessive use of Antibiotics in Frozen Food
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B, Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3018 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH DECEMBER, 2024

## EXCESSIVE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN FROZEN FOOD

## 3018. SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B: SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of permissible limits of antibiotic residues in meat and chicken product along with the compliance mechanism of FSSAI in this regard;
- (b) whether the current regulatory framework is sufficient to prevent the misuse of antibiotics in the industry and if not, the changes needed to strengthen it;
- (c) the number of cases lodged against manufacturers and suppliers of frozen food products of poultry and meat supplying products with high level antibiotic residue and their current status along with the action taken by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in this regard during the last three years;
- (d) whether the FSSAI has imposed fines/penalties and cancelled the licences of suppliers and manufacturers of said products who have been found non-compliant with antibiotic residue standards, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the FSSAI holds both the poultry and meat suppliers and the frozen food manufacturers jointly accountable for ensuring that products meet antibiotic residue standards and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by FSSAI to fix accountability on the suppliers and manufacturers ensuring that such products meet antibiotic residue standards throughout the supply chain; and
- (g) the manner by which the FSSAI tests and inspect poultry and meat products for antibiotic residues and whether these tests are effective in detecting violations and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

- (a) & (b): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011 wherein permissible

limits of 43 antibiotics for meat and poultry have been specified. Further, a list of 19 antibiotics and veterinary drugs that are not permitted to be used at any stages of processing of meat and meat products and poultry is also specified under these regulations. FSSAI & State/UT Food Safety Authorities conduct regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and sampling of food products including meat and meat products.

In cases, where the food samples are found non-conforming, penal actions are initiated against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of FSS Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

(c) & (d): The enforcement data for meat and meat products, (including frozen), fish and fish products (including frozen) and egg and egg products, tested for various parameters and the cases launched and penalties raised is Annexed.

(e) & (f): The section 26 and 27 of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 fix the Responsibilities of the Food business operator and define the liability of the manufacturers, packers, wholesalers, distributors and sellers respectively. As per the Section 26, every food business operator shall ensure that the articles of food satisfy the requirements of FSS Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder at all stages of production, processing, import, distribution and sale within the businesses under his control.

(g): FSSAI has published a comprehensive set of resources for food safety and analysis, including manuals on methods of Analysis of various Foods commodities including Meat & Meat products with poultry.

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## ANNEXURE

## MEATANDMEATPRODUCTS(INCLUDINGFROZENPRODUCTS)

| Year    |   No of Samples Analysed |   No of non- conforming samples |   No criminal cases launched |   of Penalty raised (Rs.) | No of civil cases launched   |   Penalty raised (Rs.) |
|---------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------|
| 2022-23 |                      325 |                              54 |                           17 |                         0 | 2271*                        |                1266000 |
| 2023-24 |                      300 |                              71 |                           31 |                     60000 | 174                          |                2536500 |

* Includes data from special drive launched for unlicensed premises.

## FISH AND FISH PRODUCTS (INCLUDING FROZEN PRODUCTS)

| Year    |   No of Samples Analysed |   No of non- conforming samples |   No criminal cases launched |   of Penalty raised (Rs.) |   No of civil cases launched |   Penalty raised (Rs.) |
|---------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------|
| 2022-23 |                      189 |                              31 |                            2 |                         0 |                            6 |                  25000 |
| 2023-24 |                      219 |                              58 |                            7 |                     45000 |                           21 |                  23500 |

## EGGANDEGGPRODUCTS

| Year    |   No of Samples Analysed |   No of non- conforming samples No |   criminal cases launched |   of Penalty raised (Rs.) |   No of civil cases launched |   Penalty raised (Rs.) |
|---------|--------------------------|------------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------|
| 2022-23 |                      114 |                                  7 |                         0 |                     42000 |                            7 |                      0 |
| 2023-24 |                      114 |                                  0 |                         0 |                         0 |                            3 |                      0 |