FSSAI to strengthen product approval process by enacting procedure as regulation

NEW DELHI: The Food safety Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) is all set to strengthen the product approval process by enacting the same procedure as regulation instead of imposing it through an advisory. The authority said this in a circular uploaded on its website. However, industry associations say there is no clarity on what will happen to pending applications and new product launches.

The product approval process was followed through the advisory dated 11 May 2013 which was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court order of August 19.The court had questioned the legal standing of the process as it was followed through advisory rather than regulation. The FSSAI issued a circular in which it said that, "It is no longer possible for FSSAI to continue with the process of product approvals, which was facilitated through the advisory dated 11 May 2013, in view of the order dated 19 August 2015 of the SC, whereby the judgement and the order dated 1 August of the Bombay HC has gained finality and the said advisory has ceased to remain operative."