The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), India’s apex food safety regulator, has mandated all licensed food manufacturers, importers, repackers, and relabelers to submit quarterly reports on expired and rejected food products. This directive aims to prevent the resale of substandard food items, ensuring they are not reintroduced into the market under any pretense, including as cattle feed.
Key Objectives of the Directive
The FSSAI’s primary goal is to enhance food safety and prevent any compromise on public health. By closely monitoring expired or rejected food products, the regulator seeks to ensure these items are appropriately disposed of and do not find their way back into the supply chain.
The directive, issued on December 16, requires businesses to provide detailed information via the Food Safety and Compliance System (FOSCOS), the regulator’s online compliance platform.
Details on Data Submission
The new rule specifies that businesses must report three critical aspects of expired or rejected food items:
- Internal Quality Testing Failures: Food businesses must disclose the quantity of products that fail internal quality checks or inspections. This will provide insight into manufacturing quality issues and help identify recurring problems.
- Expired or Returned Products: Companies are required to report the volume of expired or returned products across the supply chain. This data will allow FSSAI to track how such items are managed and ensure they are not reused for human consumption.
- Product Disposal Records: Businesses must maintain detailed records of how rejected or expired food items are disposed of. This includes specifics on whether the products were destroyed, auctioned, or repurposed for alternative uses. Additionally, the report should contain information on buyers or waste disposal agencies involved in handling these products.
Strengthening Oversight with FOSCOS
FSSAI has emphasized that all submissions must be made through FOSCOS. While the platform’s reporting feature is still under development, businesses are urged to begin collecting the necessary data to ensure compliance once the system becomes fully operational.
The move is expected to streamline data management and enhance transparency, allowing FSSAI to monitor the flow of substandard food items effectively.
Curbing the Resale of Expired Food
A significant concern addressed by this directive is the potential resale of expired food products. Unscrupulous practices often involve reintroducing such items into the market, either directly or under the guise of other uses like cattle feed. The FSSAI’s stringent reporting requirements aim to curtail these practices by holding food businesses accountable for the proper handling and disposal of such products.
Challenges and Expectations
While the mandate is a positive step towards strengthening food safety standards, challenges remain. Businesses may face initial difficulties in adapting to the new requirements, particularly in data collection and reporting. However, FSSAI’s proactive approach to developing the FOSCOS reporting functionality is expected to ease these challenges over time.
Industry Implications
For food manufacturers and importers, the directive underscores the importance of maintaining robust quality control measures and detailed records. Companies will need to establish efficient systems for tracking and documenting the life cycle of their products, from production to disposal.
A Safer Future for Consumers
The FSSAI’s new reporting framework is a significant step forward in safeguarding public health and ensuring the integrity of India’s food supply chain. By enforcing transparency and accountability, the regulator aims to build consumer trust and strengthen the country’s food safety ecosystem.
As businesses gear up to comply with these new regulations, the directive sends a clear message: there is no room for compromise when it comes to the safety and quality of food products in India.
