Key Update

Packaged food products in Uttar Pradesh must now carry their actual date of manufacture. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) Department has directed food businesses not to show the packing date as the manufacturing date.

Why UP Issued the Directive

The directive follows special inspections of food manufacturing units. During these inspections, officials found instances where businesses manufactured products and stored them for long periods before packing them into smaller packets. In some cases, businesses mentioned the packing date instead of the original manufacturing date on the package. Officials said this could give consumers the impression that a product is relatively fresh even though businesses manufactured it much earlier.

Manufacturing Date Determines Shelf Life

Officials said a food product’s shelf life begins on its actual date of manufacture or processing, not the date businesses later pack it. For example, if a business manufactures a product and stores it for several months before repacking it into smaller packets, it cannot use the repacking date as the manufacturing date. Using a later packing date could make it difficult for consumers to understand how old a product actually is and how much of its prescribed shelf life remains.

Why Accurate Dates Matter

The issue becomes more significant when businesses later use such products as ingredients in other food items. Without the original manufacturing date, it may be difficult to establish whether the product remains within its prescribed period of use. Officials also found the practice among repackers and relabellers, where businesses mentioned only the packing date on the package.

Actual Manufacturing Date Must Be Displayed

Under the new directions, food businesses must clearly display the actual date of manufacture on packaged food products. They cannot substitute a subsequent packing date for the original manufacturing date. The requirement applies to food products packed in Uttar Pradesh and covers businesses involved in manufacturing, repacking and relabelling.

FSDA to Check Food Labels

The FSDA will check the dates mentioned on food packaging and labels during inspections and enforcement action. The department said the decision refers to provisions concerning food safety, consumer interest and public health under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The measure aims to improve transparency and traceability across the food supply chain while ensuring that consumers receive accurate information about the age and shelf life of packaged food products. It also seeks to reduce the possibility of older or quality-affected products entering the food chain under a later packing date.

Source: The Indian Express