The FSSAI has proposed amendments to the standards for water offered for sale through vending machines. The amendments will be called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2018 and Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2018. Stakeholders have been invited to send their comments, suggestions, and views to FSSAI by 21 June 2018.
Standards of Packaged Drinking Water have been specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011. However, these standards do not cover drinking water which is offered or sold through vending machines. Since there are no standards for water provided through vending machines the levels of pH, TDS or bromate are not measured or controlled by FSS regulations. This means that water supplied through vending machines can become prone to contamination and degradation of water quality which can impact consumer health and lead to water-borne diseases. Seeing that it has become necessary to regulate the water provided by vending machines the FSSAI has proposed amendments to the regulations so as to ensure safety and quality of drinking water.
FSSAI has, therefore, proposed an amendment to the existing Standards of Packaged Drinking Water. FSSAI has proposed that drinking water from vending machines shall
- Have to comply with the parameters specified for Packaged Drinking Water
- Be exempt from obtaining Drinking water Certification Mark of BIS
In the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 in regulation BEVERAGES, (Other than Dairy and Fruits & Vegetables based) (2.10) in the category of Packaged Drinking Water (other than Mineral Water) (2.10.8) the following clause is proposed to be changed from
Packaged drinking water shall be clear without any sediments, suspended particles, and extraneous matter. It shall also comply with the requirements given in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
To
Packaged Drinking Water and Drinking water offered or sold through water vending machines shall be clear without any sediments, suspended particles, and extraneous matter. It shall also comply with the requirements given in Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
This means that water offered or sold through vending machines will have to follow the standards for
- Microbiological Requirements
- Organoleptic and physical parameters
- General parameters concerning substances undesirable in excessive amounts
- Parameters concerning the toxic substance
- Parameters concerning radio-active residues
- Parameters concerning pesticide residues
The FSSAI has also made amendments in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 to be called the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2018.
In the regulation Prohibition and Restriction on sale of certain products (2.3) in the category Restrictions relating to conditions for sale (2.3.14) the following proviso is proposed to be changed from
No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water except under the Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark.
To
No person shall manufacture, sell or exhibit for sale packaged drinking water except under the Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark. Provided that the requirement of Certification Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards shall not apply to the drinking water offered or sold through water vending machines.
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