Food Safety and Standards Act come into force from 5 August

The Act will ensure improved quality of food for the consumers making it at par with the international standards

The Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 came into force from Friday across the country.

The Act will ensure improved quality of food for the consumers making it at par with the international standards. It will also censure misleading claims and advertisement by those in food business.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), established under the Act, will lay down science based standards for food items and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Removing the multiplicity of authorities, the FSSAI will broadly frame regulations to lay down the standards and guidelines for food items. It will also specify mechanisms for accreditation of certified bodies engaged in certification of food safety management system for food businesses and procedures for accreditation of laboratories.

Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 subsume various central Acts related to Food and Adulteration. India thus joins a group of advanced nations in adopting an integrated food law in line with international best practices.

Now the bigger challenge before the government is to upgrade the 72-odd food testing laboratories at the State level. At present these labs are inadequate for the modern requirements particularly in the wake of India being a signatory in the World Trade Organisation.

The Authority has proposed to grant Rs 5 crore rupees each for the strengthening of laboratories under the 12th Five Year Plan.