(a) whether a large number of fancy packed food products of questionable nutritional value are appearing in the market with equally fancy prices;
(b) whether these products are being promoted and heavily advertised in the media;
(c) whether the Government proposes to make registration of all such products mandatory and fix prices related to their quality; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*331 FOR ANSWER ON 17TH MARCH, 2020 REGARDING “PACKED FOOD PRODUCTS”.
(a) & (b): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has the mandate for dealing with the matters relating to Food Safety and Standards.
As per information provided by FSSAI, they have notified the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations on 19.11.2018. These regulations are aimed at establishing fairness in claims and advertisements of food products and make food businesses accountable for such claims/advertisements so as to protect consumer interests.
Further, as per Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, it is mandatory to give particulars of ingredients as well as nutritional information such as energy value, carbohydrate, protein and fat. Apart from these, there are other mandatory nutrition declarations as specified in these Regulations.
As regards fancy price of packed food products, no such incidence is reported to Ministry of Food Processing Industries as on date.
(c) & (d): FSSAI has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS 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.
In terms of Section 31 of FSS Act, 2006, no person shall commence or carry on any food business without a valid license/registration under FSS Act, 2006. All Food Business Operators are, therefore, under obligation under the FSS Act as well as Rules and Regulations made thereunder to comply with the Standards of food products, which are either produced in India or imported.
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