Lok Sabha Question No. 3463 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Ensuring Quality of Food Products
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3463 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST MARCH, 2025

## ENSURING QUALITY OF FOOD PRODUCTS

## 3463. SHRI ANUPSANJAYDHOTRE:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that food products manufactured and sold in India meet the required quality standards;

(b) the current status of implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the rules and regulations framed thereunder;

(c) the manner in which the Government is collaborating with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to monitor and enforce food safety standards in the country; and

(d) the measures taken / proposed to be taken by the Government to promote Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Good Hygiene Practices (GHPs) among food manufacturers in the country?

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

(a) to (c): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established in 2008 under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, primarily for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 was operationalised with the notification of Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 and six Principal Regulations with effect from the 5th August, 2011.

FSSAI through State/UTs and its Regional Offices conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid down under Food

Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder. In cases where food samples are found to be non- conforming, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations.

FSSAI also conducts periodic Pan-India Surveillance of Food products especially staple foods and commodities that are prone to adulteration to ascertain the quality and safety of the food products produced and consumed in India. For testing of various food commodities, FSSAI has notified 243 primary laboratories and 22 Referral Laboratories across the country. FSSAI has provided Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL) referred to as 'Food Safety on wheels' (FSW). FSWs are equipped with basic infrastructure for on spot testing of adulteration in various food commodities. Currently, 285 FSWs are deployed across 35 States/UTs. FSSAI has published a comprehensive set of resources for food safety and analysis, including 17 Manuals on Methods of Analysis of various Foods commodities, 02 General Guidelines on Sampling, and 15 Methods for the Analysis of fortificants in Fortified Foods. FSSAI has facilitated rapid food testing methods to reduce the screening time of the food products at the field level and accelerate surveillance as well as monitoring activities. 79 RAPID Kits are approved by FSSAI. The Food Safety Magic Boxes, meticulously curated by FSSAI, facilitates the detection of adulteration in food. It consists of reliable "quick screening tests" that a common person can perform at the household level, enabling a broad assessment of potential adulteration in their food in cases of doubt.

(d): As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, Sanitary and Hygienic requirements (based on Good Manufacturing Practices & Good Hygienic Practices) to be followed by the Food Business Operators (FBOs), has been mandated as one of the conditions of license for the Food Manufactures. This is a statutory requirement and any violation to the same by the FBOs attracts punitive action as per the provisions of FSS Act, 2006.

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