Sweets makers asked to ensure high quality as India prepares for festive season
A meeting convened by the FSSAI, which saw the participation of more than 150 food business operators, highlighted the importance of ensuring the purity of raw materials, especially milk and related products.
)
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)—the country’s food safety regulator—has directed businesses dealing in food products to ensure high quality, and cautioned them against adulterated raw materials, especially milk products. FSSAI officials conducted talks with food business operators such as sweets manufacturers, and other stakeholders, ahead of the onset of the festive season in the country, which begins next month.
The FSSAI asked all stakeholders to ensure the safety and quality of sweets during the festive season, according to a statement.
A host of sweets makers and related associations, besides more than 150 food business operators, participated in the talks. The regulator also emphasised the need to ensure the safety and quality of unpackaged sweets and other food products.
TRENDING NOW

Assembly Election Results 2023 today: Vote counting for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh to begin on Sunday at 8 am

MP Assembly Election Results 2023: Shivraj Chouhan, Kamath Nath, Narendra Singh Tomar, and other strong candidates of Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan Churu Election Result 2023: Harlal Saharan of BJP up against Rafiq Mandelia of Congress — who will emerge winner?

Rajasthan Jhotwara Election Result 2023: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore of BJP up against Abhishek Choudhary of Congress — who will emerge winner?

COP 28 Summit: India, China refrain from signing pledge to triple world's renewable energy capacity by 2030

Rajasthan Nathdwara Election Result 2023: Kunwar Vishwaraj Singh Mewar of BJP up against CP Joshi of Congress — who will emerge winner?
The meeting highlighted the importance of ensuring the purity of raw materials, especially milk and related products such as condensed milk, cottage cheese and ghee that are typically prone to adulteration during periods of high consumption. It also sought to sensitise the food production ecosystem over the perishable high-risk edibles to ensure the safety of food products across stages, including manufacturing, storage, distribution and retail.
ALSO READ: Centre may unveil action plan on spices soon to tame food inflation
The authorities instructed food business operators to only procure such raw materials from FSSAI-registered retailers focusing on food safety-related tests, and to monitor and align the oil quality with food safety norms while manufacturing fried items.
Besides, the businesses were also advised to adopt safe display practices and to avoid outdoor cooking for unpackaged sweets.
In a separate development, the food safety watchdog initiated prosecution against certain food business operators this month.
As many as 1,411 prosecution cases were initiated after the food business operators were found in violation of a string of provisions under food safety rules, according to an official statement.
ALSO READ: Retail inflation eases to 6.83% in August on falling food prices
The regulator highlighted that tests were conducted in a host of food product categories including milk and milk products, spices, packaged drinking water, nutraceuticals, sauces, pickles, chips, and jaggery, to ensure compliance with its guidelines on safety and standards.
The FSSAI, along with state and Union Territory food authorities, continuously monitors the quality and safety of food products for consumers in the country by drawing and testing samples.
The regulator has time and again directed food business operators to strictly follow its guidelines for the safety, hygiene, and quality of the food products manufactured in the country. It has also warned of stern action against such businesses if found to be in violation of the guidelines.
03:13 pm