42,870 cases filed in 2022-23 over non-conforming samples of protein powders, dietary supplements: Health Minister

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Parliament on Thursday that surveillance, monitoring and inspection activities conducted by authorities across the country resulted in the collection of 1,326 samples of food items including protein powder and dietary supplements under food safety regulations and sent 1,229 to laboratories for testing.

As per the reports received, the Union Minister said, 202 samples were found non-compliant to respective food product standards and action was taken as per the penal provisions under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act. He was responding to questions about whether certain protein powders and dietary supplements sold in the market were substandard and unsafe for consumption.

Based on information from states and Union Territories, 38,053 civil and 4,817 criminal cases were filed in the year 2022-23, the minister said. He also said that 28,906 civil and 4,946 criminal cases were filed in 2021-22, and 24,195 civil and 3,869 criminal cases the previous year.
In March, food safety regulator FSSAI had ordered a special enforcement drive for various nutraceutical and health supplement products sold in the market that were not in compliance with regulations.

Under food safety regulations, food samples collected by state food safety officers are sent to laboratories recognised by FSSAI for analysis. In cases where samples are found to be non-conforming to the provisions, recourse is taken to penal provisions under the FSS Act.

The health minister also said that the regulator FSSAI has taken certain steps to create awareness among consumers about safety from adulterated and spurious food items including dietary
supplements. He said it has introduced mobile food testing vans, called Food Safety on Wheels (FSW), not only to take testing facilities to the remotest corners of the country but to also serve as vehicles for creating awareness regarding food safety and hygiene practices that created a Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) booklet, which is a compilation of common quick tests for the detection of food adulterants at home by citizens themselves. Carried out awareness drives through exhibitions and other outreach activities at various events.
created awareness among consumers on how to read food labels correctly.