FSSAI

 FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA), functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It serves as the apex regulator for food safety, hygiene, and standards across India.

Key Institutional Details

• Headquarters: New Delhi, supported by regional offices across northern, southern, eastern, and western zones.

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).

• Consolidation Role: Integrated eight previously fragmented food laws (such as the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, Fruit Products Order, 1955, and Meat Food Products Order, 1973) into a single unified regulatory framework.

• Composition: Consists of a Chairperson (ranked not below Secretary to the Government of India) and 22 members, one-third of whom must be women.

Core Mandates and Functions

• Standard Setting: Framing science-based regulations and limits for food additives, contaminants, pesticide residues, heavy metals, veterinary drugs, and packaging materials.

• Licensing and Registration: Issuing clearances to Food Business Operators (FBOs) via the digitized FoSCoS (Food Safety Compliance System) portal based on turnover and production capacity.

• Surveillance and Enforcement: Monitoring food safety via accredited primary food testing laboratories and referral labs; conducting periodic nationwide sampling to identify adulteration.

• Risk Assessment and Scientific Opinions: Collaborating with scientific panels to assess emerging risks such as microplastics, genetically modified foods, and ultra-processed food additives.

• Capacity Building: Administering the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program for food handlers.

Major Initiatives and Regulatory Frameworks

• Eat Right India Movement: Built on the pillars of Eat Safe, Eat Healthy, and Eat Sustainably, aligned with the National Health Policy 2017.

• State Food Safety Index (SFSI): An annual dynamic ranking evaluating States and Union Territories across five parameters: Human Resources and Institutional Data, Compliance, Food Testing Infrastructure, Training and Capacity Building, and Consumer Empowerment.

• Trans-Fat Elimination: Mandated that industrial trans-fatty acid levels in all fats and oils be capped at not more than 2% by weight.

• RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil): An ecosystem enabling the collection and conversion of used cooking oil into biodiesel to prevent hazardous repeated frying.

• Jaivik Bharat: The unified organic food regulatory logo certifying adherence to the Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations.