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news.Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is set to notify new food packaging regulations to curb the use of packaging materials that pose significant risk for public health.
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Set to be implemented from 01 July next year, the new regulations framed by the food regulator will impose a ban on the use of recycled plastic or newspaper for packaging, storing, carrying or dispensing food items.
The regulator has carved out the new packaging regulations, separating packaging norms from labelling. The new regulations will replace the existing Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.
FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal was quoted by hindustantimes.com as saying: “The packaging of food regulations have been sent for publishing and will raise the bar for food safety in India. Packaging is an integral part of the process and we have framed regulations to address it.”
The regulations will also require companies to comply with specific migration limits of contaminants for plastic packaging materials.
The move comes after surveys commissioned by the FSSAI revealed that the packaging material used in unorganised sector is not in line with prescribed standards, with 13.4% of the 380 samples collected from the sector found to be non-conforming.
According to a timesofindia.indiatimes.com report, the findings showed that around 80% of food samples packed in coloured carry bags, 59% in black carry bags and more than 24% in aluminium coated disposable containers and 21% in sweet boxes were chemically contaminated.
