FSSAI plans nationwide ban on non-dairy paneer, curbs junk food at schools | Today’s news
The food safety regulator is considering a nationwide regulation that would ban analogue paneer as authorities step up checks on food products ahead of the festive season, a report says Economic times.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is also working on draft rules to limit the sale of foods high in fat, sugar and salt within 50 meters of schools across the country. At the same time, the regulator is pushing e-commerce and e-commerce platforms to make manufacturing and expiration dates more visible to consumers in their apps.
FSSAI Director General Rajit Punhani said the regulator is preparing a central regulation to ban analogue paneer after eight states imposed bans and several parts of the country witnessed enforcement drives.
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Eight states have already banned analogue paneer
Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are among the states that have banned analogue or non-dairy paneer.
The restrictions apply to the manufacture, processing, preparation, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of these products.
The state-level action follows concerns about food products that resemble dairy but contain little or no dairy ingredients. An analogue of paneer can be made by replacing milk fat or milk solids with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients.
FSSAI will flag missing data on online food lists
Commenting on the recent enforcement action against e-commerce and fast-track companies in various states, Punhani said absence of production date and expiry date on online platforms remains one of the main concerns of the regulator.
“Date of manufacture and expiry are not listed on e-commerce platforms. We are trying to get them to list it,” Punhani said.
“We did a lot of raids before the festival season,” Rajit Punhani, FSSAI The CEO said, adding that he hoped the crackdown would make this year’s festivities healthier.
The FSSAI is also proposing rules aimed at preventing the sale of foods high in fat, salt and sugar in and around schools across India. The proposed measure is part of the regulator’s Eat Right Campaign, which aims to improve food choices for children, the FSSAI chief said.
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Maharashtra, Delhi is taking steps to curb junk food near schools
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced a series of measures banning the sale, advertisement and free distribution of junk food within 50 meters of schools across the state.
Delhi adopted similar restrictions after a court case. Reducing the availability of foods high in fat, salt and sugar around educational institutions is expected to improve the overall food environment for students and complement efforts to promote healthier options on school campuses.
The food regulator also expects that such measures will encourage healthier eating habits in children and help reduce the risk of long-term health problems linked to an unhealthy diet.
