7 Bans imposed by FSSAI that you must know

The apex food safety regulatory authority FSSAI has implemented various practical measures for checking food safety & hygiene in the food industry. It routinely conducts inspections of all the food businesses to ensure that they possess FSSAI registration or FSSAI license.

In the past few months, FSSAI has imposed several restrictions on FBOs in the food processing industry, in view of the various cases of food contamination and serious health impacts resulting due to it.

These bans have been imposed for the proper regulation of all food business and are in the interest of general public health and food safety.

So, let us know in detail about the 7 noteworthy bans imposed by FSSAI on the food businesses.

#1. Ban on plastics & newspaper in food packaging

The food safety watchdog has recently made a landmark decision by imposing a complete ban on the recycled plastic and newspaper packaging of all food products. Such packages are generally used both by the large food businesses as well as petty vendors & hawkers who don’t possess FSSAI registration. This ban was put with a view to addressing health-related threats and environmental degradation.

In this regard, FSSAI has formulated new guidelines on food packaging under which it has banned the use of plastic and newspaper packaging.

#2. Ban on Stapler pins in tea bags

Last year, FSSAI had banned tea manufacturers to use stapler pins in tea bags considering harmful health impacts of metallic stapler pins. The stapler pins in tea bags could be a severe hazard to the health of consumers since any loose staple-pin if consumed accidentally with the tea may pose a serious choking hazard. Moreover, the metallic stapler pins are carcinogenic, which implies they can cause cancer.

Keeping view of the serious health risk, FSSAI had directed all FBOs to stop the manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of the stapled tea bags from 1st January 2018.

#3. Ban on carbide for artificial ripening of the fruits

The food safety regulator has now completely banned harmful chemicals such as calcium carbide, commonly known as masala, acetylene gas in artificial ripening of the fruits.

Such chemicals were rampantly used by the fruit vendors and wholesalers, even those who have FSSAI license.

FSSAI has now fully prohibited these chemicals. It has however permitted the use of ethylene gas as a natural alternative to harmful chemicals to ripen the fruits.

#4. Ban on 'Non-veg' Silver Leaf in Indian Sweets

FSSAI has now banned silver leaf also called Chandi ka wark, which is generally used in the decoration of various Indian sweets like Kaju katlis, pethas and barfis. There are several concerns that the silver leaf used in sweets is made by putting silver inside Buffalo skin and hammering it into desired thinness. Moreover, such silver wark is not pure and contains heavy metal traces like nickel, lead, chromium, and cadmium. These are dangerous to human health.

#5. Ban on Toluene printing in food packages

Due to its potential hazards on public health, Toluene for printing in food packages has now been banned by FSSAI. Toluene is a chemical used in paint-thinners. When used in printing food packs, toluene is known to permeate into the food despite various layers between the packet and food products. It can cause damage to the liver and kidney. Hence, toluene has been banned across India.

#6. Ban on business-listing of unregistered FBOs on e-commerce sites

In August 2018, FSSAI had banned the business-listing of unregistered food businesses who do not possess an FSSAI Registration or FSSAI license, by the leading e-commerce food aggregators such as FoodPanda, Swiggy, and Zomato.

Mostly the people rely on the big names listed on e-commerce sites for booking a restaurant. Now, if such portals tend to offer services through unlicensed restaurants, this will mislead the customers and will cause wastage of money.

It can even cause a serious health risk if you land up booking an unreliable or unhygienic food destination.

#7. Ban on Health supplements as medicines

Recently, FSSAI has banned medical prescription of Health Supplements. There were reports regarding the threats of health supplements on health in the long run.

Hence, all package of health supplements shall carry the message-

“NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE”.

These are some of the noteworthy bans recently imposed by FSSAI. All food businesses having FSSAI Registration must be aware of these restrictions.

If you need any sort of help regarding FSSAI registration procedure, please feel free to contact our business advisor at 8881-069-069.

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