Sweets makers asked to ensure high quality as India prepares for festive season

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)—the country’s food safety regulator—has directed businesses dealing in food products to ensure high quality, and cautioned them against adulterated raw materials, especially milk products. FSSAI officials conducted talks with food business operators such as sweets manufacturers, and other stakeholders, ahead of the onset of the festive season in the country, which begins next month. 

The FSSAI asked all stakeholders to ensure the safety and quality of sweets during the festive season, according to a statement. 

A host of sweets makers and related associations, besides more than 150 food business operators, participated in the talks. The regulator also emphasised the need to ensure the safety and quality of unpackaged sweets and other food products. 

The meeting highlighted the importance of ensuring the purity of raw materials, especially milk and related products such as condensed milk, cottage cheese and ghee that are typically prone to adulteration during periods of high consumption. It also sought to sensitise the food production ecosystem over the perishable high-risk edibles to ensure the safety of food products across stages, including manufacturing, storage, distribution and retail.

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The authorities instructed food business operators to only procure such raw materials from FSSAI-registered retailers focusing on food safety-related tests, and to monitor and align the oil quality with food safety norms while manufacturing fried items. 

Besides, the businesses were also advised to adopt safe display practices and to avoid outdoor cooking for unpackaged sweets. 

In a separate development, the food safety watchdog initiated prosecution against certain food business operators this month. 

As many as 1,411 prosecution cases were initiated after the food business operators were found in violation of a string of provisions under food safety rules, according to an official statement. 

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The regulator highlighted that tests were conducted in a host of food product categories including milk and milk products, spices, packaged drinking water, nutraceuticals, sauces, pickles, chips, and jaggery, to ensure compliance with its guidelines on safety and standards. 

The FSSAI, along with state and Union Territory food authorities, continuously monitors the quality and safety of food products for consumers in the country by drawing and testing samples. 

The regulator has time and again directed food business operators to strictly follow its guidelines for the safety, hygiene, and quality of the food products manufactured in the country. It has also warned of stern action against such businesses if found to be in violation of the guidelines.