Global food packaging norms on anvil

NEW DELHI: Union health ministry plans to make it mandatory for all packed foods sold in the country to conform to stringent international packaging norms laid out by a commission established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

A top health ministry functionary told ET the government would adapt the Codex Alimentarius (food code) Commission’s standards without compromising on its crux before implementing it in the country.

This would apply to all food and drinks except water. Once implemented, it will apply to imported eatables too. However, the agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and the agreement on technical barriers to trade under the WTO prevents a national government from disguising these standards as a trade barrier or to discriminate among trade partners.

Besides ensuring quality, it would also facilitate fair practices in food trade. The Codex contact point in India is the Directorate General Of Health Services and the ministry of food processing is closely coordinating with the commission.

The Codex guidelines comprise more than 200 standards for individual class of foods including general standards related to labelling, claims, hygiene, additives for food and norms for contaminants as well.