FSSAI’s Focus on E-commerce Food Safety Oversight

To ensure nationwide compliance with food safety standards, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has organized a Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting to address the recent challenges, issues, and concerns faced by consumers, as well as those identified by the government. Sources say the CAC’s agenda will prioritize enhancing oversight of e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms due to concerns about the sale of expired or nearly expired food products, among other issues.

Sources also report that the FSSAI will convene the CAC meeting with state food commissioners in Delhi on November 7 and 8. The CAC, chaired by the CEO of FSSAI, aims to guide state food commissioners in closely monitoring various platforms, stores, and restaurants to ensure they comply with food safety regulations. Recent consumer concerns have highlighted the sale of expired food on online platforms, pesticide contamination, harmful chemicals in food colouring, and microplastic contamination in food products.

LocalCircles Highlights Consumer Complaints on Expired Foods

Sachin Taparia, Founder of LocalCircles, stated, “Complaints from consumers on LocalCircles indicate that people have been receiving ice cream, yoghurt, bread, and many other packaged foods with less than 30% shelf life left via online platforms.”

He added, “As a result, we have requested FSSAI to ensure that online grocery platforms do not list any packaged food with less than 30% shelf life remaining. Such near-expiry items should never be delivered to consumers. Both the platforms and FSSAI, when necessary, must audit the warehouses and stores to ensure that all packaged food items in stock have at least 30% shelf life left.”

Taparia further emphasized, “If platforms display the best-before date for such packaged foods and ensure that all products listed for sale online have at least 30% shelf life left, they will comply with both legal metrology and food safety laws. This will also increase consumer trust.”

Source: CNBC TV18