FSSAI rejects import of over 1550 food items on grounds of food safety

NEW DELHI : The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reportedly rejected the import of over 1,550 food products over the course of the last two years. In the financial year 2022-23, the regulatory body flagged around 1,000 food items which included cheese, almonds, milk and milk products, whiskey, dates, apples, coffee, seafood, and chocolates. In addition to this, 550 products were also met with rejection during FY 2023-24 for failing compliance with the food safety standards.

The shipments – which came from across various countries and trade blocs, also included products from developed countries which also have strict food safety regulations. Although Indian food items such as whole and powdered spices have been making headlines for chemical contamination in recent times, the Department of Commerce put together a list of countries and food items which were rejected on grounds of safety to create a template for future regulators.

While India imports goods from over a 100 countries, the food safety authorities have maintained that the norms are equally strict for domestic products as much as it is for the imported counterpart. Acknowledging having previously failed to check incoming consignments mandatorily, the Ministry of Commerce emphasised the need for the FSSAI to work in tandem as a way to impose import surveillance, market regulation and take subsequent measures in the event of any discrepancies.

A three-tier verification process, which includes checking documents, visual inspection and sample testing for all imported food products, are conducted by authorised FSSAI officers stationed at 100 entry ports. If collected samples are flagged for non-compliance with set standards, Non-Conforming Reports (NCRs) are filed against the exporter which bars them from entering Indian markets until further clearance is issued. Some of the common challenges during the course of inspection include the varying standards of safety which change from one country to another, limited testing facilities at ports, and the prospect of contamination for high-risk products such as perishable foods.