FBOs urge health ministry to streamline product approval & allay fears

Representatives of food companies have urged the Union ministry of health to streamline the process of product approval and enforcement which has become a cause of major concern, bordering on fear, for food business operators (FBOs).
The delegation met Union secretary (health & family welfare) Bhanu Pratap Sharma on August 7 and stated that the recent development related to FSS Act enforcement had created confusion in minds of consumers and such an action by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), created serious functional challenges for FBOs.
It was said in the representation that the industry completely supported the role of enforcement in ensuring effective implementation of regulations. However, as discussed, the industry is facing significant operating challenges, due to recent enforcement actions, which are creating confusion in the mind of the consumer and resulting in instability in the system. “There is a need to ensure that decision-making is vested with officials at appropriate levels,” it added.  
The representation, primarily regarding food regulations by FSSAI, was jointly made by ASSOCHAM, AIFPA, CII, CIFTI-FICCI and PHDCCI. According to sources, the PMO has directed the health ministry to convene such a meeting to allay the fears of the industry regarding a return to inspector raj as FSSAI has been asserting its power.
The delegation, according to sources, also put forth concerns related to product approval, which had become a bone of contention between the industry and the apex food regulator for a while now.  
According to sources, industry bodies stated that the process of product approval should be restricted to novel foods and new ingredients only where there was no history of safe use. Further proprietary foods using additives and ingredients, permitted in FSS Regulations should not require product approval as all proprietary foods are governed by regulations related to horizontal standards & additive standards.  
Last year – Similar experience
However, a similar meeting was held last year in August. It was attended by the then chairperson of FSSAI, secretary (health) and secretary (MoFPI), and a similar decision was taken that the product approval for propriety food using approved ingredients should be discontinued. But FSSAI’s stance on product approval never changed. And industry experts did not appear
to be enthusiastic about the outcome of the meeting as the assurance given by secretary (health) was that the ministry would look into the industry’s concerns.
“Nothing concrete came out of the meeting,” said one industry representative privy of the matter.
The other issues raised by the industry was the combinatorial effect arising due to combination of two or more ingredients. The representation stated that in food science there are no substantiated reports of safety concerns due to combination of two or more ingredients which have a history of safe use.  It was said in the representation, “Wherever if there are any known combinatorial effects that have already been listed in the Food Safety & Standards (Prohibitions & Restrictions) Regulations, if food science identifies more such effects, those ingredients can be further included in the Prohibitions & Restrictions list or regulations.”
The other key area of concern put forth by the industry was FSSAI-Industry Interface. The representatives said, “We appreciate the food authority’s intentions to create an enabling framework for industry to interact with the scientific panels & scientific committee and the additional working groups/panels to develop standards.” And there needs further regular interface between industry and the food authority.
It is pertinent to mention here that on July 27 a meeting was held wherein industry representatives, health ministry officials, and CEO, FSSAI, were present. In this meeting, the industry body raised concerns over the challenges being faced by the Indian food processing sector.