Key Update 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday announced that vendors selling buckwheat without a valid food license or registration will face penalties. The action comes ahead of Navratri, following a March incident in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and Haridwar, where adulterated buckwheat left over 200 people, including children, hospitalised on the festival’s first day.

Phased Action Plan for Compliance

The FDA commissioner’s office issued guidelines for phased action against manufacturers, packers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers of buckwheat flour and related products. In the first phase, food inspectors must identify wholesalers, departmental stores, and retailers in each district who manufacture, store, distribute, or sell this flour. Inspectors should hold meetings with them on proper storage, maintenance, and labelling standards before Navratri begins, and then conduct compliance checks.

Record-Keeping Made Mandatory

FDA Commissioner R. Rajesh Kumar ordered food business operators to maintain purchase records and supply source details for all buckwheat sold at their establishments.

Source: The Times of India