With the approaching festive season in mind, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) organized a gathering on September 25th with Indian sweets producers. The primary focus of this meeting was to underscore the importance of adhering to regulations to guarantee the safety and quality of both edible products and raw materials. The event garnered participation from sweet manufacturers and associations nationwide, with over 150 food business operators actively taking part in the discussions.
The meeting had a central focus on raising awareness within the ecosystem about perishable, high-risk food items. The aim was to ensure the safety of these edibles at every stage, encompassing manufacturing, storage, distribution, and the point of sale to consumers.
During the meeting, greater emphasis was placed on monitoring the adulteration of raw materials, particularly in milk and milk products such as Khoa, Paneer, and Ghee. These items are particularly vulnerable to adulteration and contamination during periods of high consumption, such as the festive season. Additionally, food business operators (FBOs) were encouraged to prioritize testing and ensure the procurement of raw materials, specifically milk, Khoa, Ghee, Paneer, etc., exclusively from vendors who are registered or licensed by FSSAI.
All Food Business Operators (FBOs) were reminded of their obligation to monitor the quality of oil during frying in accordance with FSS regulations. Moreover, they were strongly advised to implement safe display practices for loose sweets and to discourage outdoor cooking practices, as these practices can potentially expose food and raw materials to environmental contaminants, thus jeopardizing food safety.
As the meeting drew to a close, a joint appeal was made to all stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of working together to guarantee the production of safe and high-quality sweets for consumers, especially in the upcoming festive season. This underscores FSSAI’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding public health by advancing food safety standards within the Indian sweets industry.
