FSSAI expands surveillance to include fortified rice, dairy products, spices

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated a probe into alleged violations of norms in branded spices and plans to extend surveillance to other food items such as fortified rice, dairy products, and spices sold in the domestic market.

According to sources, FSSAI's surveillance scope will encompass various food items, including fruit and vegetables, salmonella in fish products, spice and culinary herbs, fortified rice, and milk and milk products.

FSSAI's scrutiny comes in the wake of quality concerns raised by Singapore and Hong Kong, prompting the authority to collect samples of spices in powder form from across the country, including prominent brands like MDH and Everest.

Last month, Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) cautioned against specific spice-mix products of Indian brands, citing the presence of the pesticide ethylene oxide. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) also ordered a recall of imported spices following Hong Kong's directive.

In a separate instance, FSSAI is in the process of collecting pan-India samples of Nestle's Cerelac baby cereals amid allegations of increased sugar content.

The surveillance efforts by FSSAI have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of samples analysed over the years, with more than 4,51,000 samples analysed in the fiscal year 2023-24, representing a threefold increase from 2020-21.

FSSAI's regulatory testing and monitoring are facilitated through a network of food testing laboratories, comprising primary, referral, and reference laboratories across the country. Penalties for non-conforming food products range from fines to imprisonment, as stipulated under the FSS Act, 2006.

The intensified surveillance efforts underscore FSSAI's commitment to ensuring food safety and compliance with regulations in the country's food industry.

(With PTI inputs)