Up to August 2015 the FSSAI had issued Product Approvals and NOCs for the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of products for which standards did not exist. To reduce the burden if product approval and facilitate clearance of new food products, the FSSAI has taken certain measures in the last two years which are as follows
In the first instance the FSSAI has substantially enlarged the definition and scope of proprietary foods by making amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulation 2011 particularly regulation ‘Proprietary Food’ (2.12). The list of food additives has also been increased under these regulations. In addition to this several new product standards or regulations have been developed.
The FSSAI has also notified the Food Safety and Standards (Food or Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Foods for Special Dietary Uses, Foods for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Foods and Novel Food) Regulation 2016. This regulation covers eight categories of foods like
- health supplements
- nutraceuticals
- food for special dietary uses
- foods for special medical purposes
- speciality foods containing plants or botanicals
- foods containing probiotics
- foods containing prebiotics
- novel foods
The FSSAI opines that the above mentioned measures must have covered most of the products for which Product Approval/ NOC have been granted. The FSSAI has asked the FBOs to confirm that their products are now in complete compliance with the requirements of the regulations under which these products now stand covered.
If there are any FBOs whose products have still NOT been covered under any of these new regulations then the FSSAI has advised them to revalidate the Product Approval or NOC granted to them. They will have to
- submit the necessary documents to the FSSAI as laid down under the Food Safety and Standards (approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulation 2017
- quote the previous application number
- such FBOs do not need to pay any additional fee
IMPORTANT
FBOs will have to submit either their confirmation of compliance of regulations report or fulfil the requirements in-case they need revalidation of product approval/NOC (as mentioned above) within a period of 30 days beginning 1 January, 2018. If FBOs fail to carry out these two actions, the Product Approval/ NOC granted to them will stand cancelled.
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