Section I. Food Laws:
Currently, there are several Indian laws relating to food, some of which overlap and are administered by a number of different Ministries and Departments. Many of the laws were drafted soon after Independence under conditions very different from today, when India was at an early stage of ensuring food self sufficiency and the local food industry was at a nascent stage. The focus of these food laws is one or more of the following: (a) prevent food adulteration (b) regulate hygienic conditions of processing/manufacturing (c) protect the domestic agriculture and livestock sector from pests and diseases (d) inform consumers about the products they eat (such as vegetarian or non-vegetarian, maximum price to pay, etc.) (e) provide product specifications. Major existing food laws are equally applicable to imported food products. Implementation of food laws is constrained by lack of capacity and infrastructure.
The Government of India (GOI) has recently constituted a Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), following the enactment of the “Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,” with the objective of consolidating various food laws and establishing a single regulatory agency in place of the current multiple regulatory agencies (See: http://www.fssai.gov.in/). The FSSAI has been mandated to lay down sciencebased standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import so as to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The administrative control of this Authority lies with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer and members of the FSSAI have been appointed and various scientific committees and panels constituted. The following food laws will be repealed from a date to be notified by the government. Until then the requirement and other provisions of these food laws will continue to be in force as a transitory provision for food standards.
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act
• Milk and Milks Products Order
• Fruit Products Order
• Meat Products Order
• Three food laws specific to vegetable oils (Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1998; Edible Oils
Packaging
(Regulation) Order, 1998; The Solvent Extracted Oil, Deoiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order,
1967)
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) of 1954 and the PFA Rules of 1955
