Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ‘Press Note’ -10.5.2010(implementation of FSS Act is expected to start from September, 2010

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

(Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India)

₃rd & 4^th Floor, Food and Drug Administration Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi-110 002

No.: PR 7/ 24/2009-10/MC/Media –Pt II Dated: 10.05.2010

‘Press Note’

Food Safety and Standards Act will soon replace the various food related orders, including PFA Act & Rules in the country. Draft Rules and regulations for transition from PFA to FSSA have already been approved by the Food Authority and are in the process of being notified in accordance with the laid down procedures. Most of the provisions of FSS Act are to be implemented by States under the enabling sections already notified; FSSAI has, therefore, decided to organise region-wise meetings with Food Safety Commissioners to discuss and finalise the steps required for implementation of the Food Safety & Standards Act in the States/ U.Ts. The first regional conference of Food Safety Commissioners of States / U.Ts. from southern region was held on 17^th April, 2010 at Kochi which was attended by the representatives from Kerala, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Karnataka and Lakshdweep.

The second such conference is going to be held at Jaipur on 11^th May, 2010 for ‘Western Region’ comprising Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Goa, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The key issues to be discussed during the regional conference include designation of a department of food safety in the respective States/ U.Ts. as the authority responsible for enforcement of Food Safety & Standards Act 2006 in respective states/ U.T., appointment of Food Safety Commissioners, Designated Officers, Adjudicating Officers etc., steps to be taken for putting systems in place for registration and licensing of food businesses, establishment of Food Safety Appellate Tribunals, constitution of Special Courts, imparting training to officials who will be implementing FSS Act and nomination of suitable officers for training by FSSAI etc. The implementation of FSS Act is expected to start from September, 2010.

A brief about the Authority:

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is the statutory regulatory Authority set up by Govt. of India under administrative control of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, under ‘Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006’, 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 and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Act aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command.

Issued by Food Safety & Standards Authority of India Tel: 011-23237435 Fax: 011-23220994 Website: http://www.fssai.gov.in