The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India vide its notification dated 10th November 2020 has issued the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Import) Amendment Regulations, 2020 and has invited Objections and suggestions, from the public which may be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food and Drug Administration Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi – 110002, or may be sent through e-mail at regulation@fssai.gov.in.
Key Highlights from the notification.
- The Amendment brings in new regulation 18(1) which deals with Registration of Foreign Food manufacturing facilities, in which the food authority may from time to time based on the risk specify the categories of food products to be exported to India, for which inspection or audit of Foreign Food manufacturing facilities producing such categories of foods shall be mandatory.
- The Foreign Food manufacturing facilities falling under such categories and desirous to export such article of food to India shall register with the Food Authority before exporting to India.
- Foreign Food manufacturing facility found to be in compliance of FSS Act rules and regulation made there-under shall be registered as Foreign Food manufacturing facilities for a period of five years and their registration number shall be communicated in Form 17 and the Renewal of registration of Foreign Food manufacturing facility shall be made in Form 16, not later than 30 days prior to the expiry date indicated in the registration.
- Foreign Food manufacturing facility which requires mandatory audit shall get their facility audited by the auditing agency recognized by the Food Authority.
Further, if Foreign Food manufacturing facility or their food products are found not to be in compliance of FSS Act rules and regulation made there-under, their registration as Foreign Food manufacturing facilities shall be suspended or cancelled.
