Food safety is one of the most important concerns these days. From food poisoning to other health issues, food has a very important role to play in keeping our health. With this in mind, a few much-needed steps are taken by FSSAI. In order to improve food safety compliance with regulations, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) released a new advisory for operators of e-commerce food businesses.
FSSAI’s Advisory For Food & Non-Food Products Delivery
The FSSAI emphasises the need to make sure food and non-food products are delivered separately by requiring Food Business Operators (FBOs) to do so in order to prevent cross-contamination and safeguard consumer health. FSSAI’s statement mentioned that by adhering to regulatory standards, e-commerce platforms improve the ecosystem for food safety and lower the risks of fraud and foodborne illnesses, as reported by NDTV.
Training last-mile delivery workers on food safety and hygiene measures, such as safe food handling, transportation, personal cleanliness, and appropriate sanitisation techniques, is essential, according to the food authority.
As required by the food authorities, the advisory stipulates that food goods must be delivered with a minimum shelf life of 30% or at least 45 days before expiration.
Guidelines To FBO’s Regarding Misleading Product Claims
FBOs have been advised by the FSSAI not to make false or misleading claims and have been told to make sure that the information on the physical label matches the claims made about their products on their e-commerce platforms.
Since labels on e-commerce platforms must comply with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, the guideline advises against making promises online without product packaging. Failure to do so could result in regulatory action and erode consumer trust, as reported by NDTV.
To increase customer trust and help them make educated purchasing decisions, the FSSAI has requested e-commerce platforms to show the FSSAI license/registration numbers and hygiene ratings of FBOs and food dealers. Platforms were also warned not to feature FBOs without a current FSSAI license or registration.
Also Read: 31 Kerala-Made Snacks Declared Unhealthy By Karnataka FSSAI; Detects Use Of Artificial Colouring
These guidelines and advisories by FSSAI are important, and the consumers should also know about them.
Cover Image Credit: Canva
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