Norms for packaged foods

THE INDIAN consumer's dream of being able to buy imported food products from a local store is slowly becoming a reality. The unlimited choice of foodstuffs is increasing on a day-to-day basis thereby fulfilling a very basic consumer right -- that of `choice'. However to make informed choice, consumers need accurate information. Across all cultures consumers have a right to know what they are buying and a right to decide whether to buy or not based on values they consider important.

Food is not only an agricultural and trade commodity but also an essentially public health issue. As the world market globalises, the eating habits of developing countries are becoming one with those of the developed countries. Consumers are being increasingly exposed to new food technologies and new sources of food. In several ways most consumers are to differing degrees concerned with and have some knowledge of the quality and safety of the foods they eat. They generally presume that the food offered for sale is safe, while realising that they have no control over certain aspects such as pesticide residues or mycotoxins or food additives. However there is no doubt that a majority of them rely on the government and industry to ensure that the foods meet the standards.

Government's inability

Government intervention is required to protect consumers against overt health risks and to ensure that the quality of foods is the best attainable. Unfortunately with no clear food safety policy and weak domestic food legislation, the government's inability to deal with imported foods is clearly exposed. The problem is further compounded due to the number of government agencies involved in handling imported food products.

The government's Exim policy clearly states that all imported edible/food products would be covered by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), 1954, which is applicable to food products manufactured and sold domestically. Imported food products will have to comply with the quality and packaging requirements as laid down in the Act before customs clearance.

Some important rules under the PFA concern essential labelling requirements of imported foods such as:

(a) All packaged food to bear the name and complete address of the manufacturer, packer, vendor and importer.

(b) Name and trade name of the product.

)Names of the ingredients in descending order of composition.

(d) Net weight or volume, distinctive batch number or lot number.

(e) Month and year of packaging in capital letters and the month and year up to which the product is best for consumption and for packaged foods such as milk, bread, bhelpuri, pizza, doughnut, paneer and uncanned packages of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, etc., it is mandatory to print the `best before' date along with month and year.

(f) Proper labelling of irradiated foods along with prescribed doses of radiation.

(g) Prohibits addition of unauthorised colouring matter in any food article.

(h) Where an extraneous colouring matter, natural or synthetic, is added it must be displayed in capital letters just beneath the ingredients of the label.

(i) Use of only permissible natural and synthetic colours.

(j) Use of only permitted natural/artificial flavouring substances in different food products.

(k) Display minimum retail price.

The PFA also provides for sampling inspection and confiscation of food items along with the prescribed penalties. Under section 6(2) the customs collector or any officer authorised by the Central Government can detain any imported package and report such detention forthwith to the Central Food Laboratory. If required he may forward the package or send samples of any suspected article of food therein to the said laboratory.

Further an authorised food inspector can enter and inspect the place where the food article is stored for sale (warehouse) or exposed for sale (distributors or retailers' premises) and take samples of those for analysis to check conformation to PFA standards.

While for a majority of consumers in India, imported foods remain largely unaffordable, the temptation to buy something that is imported occasionally is realistic.

However one look at the imported foods on the supermarket shelves is enough to reveal the gross violations of labelling requirements and non-supply of required information to consumers. When buying imported food products consumers must check whether the essential labelling requirements have been fulfilled. More so keeping in mind health risks and lax governmental monitoring.

SHOBHA IYER

Coordinator, Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG)

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