Question : Quality of Food Products in Restaurants

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the multi chain restaurants are fulfilling all the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms in India, to provide the best quality products in the country, if so, the detailsthereof, if not, the action taken by the Government against such restaurants;

(b) whether the multi chain restaurants are running their restaurants under the valid agreement with the valid date of sanction in the country, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any complaint has been received against such restaurants running their businesses in the country after the expiry of their licenses, if so, the details thereof, with the action taken report against such restaurants;

(d) whether the FSSAI has formulated any guidelines to cap the content of fat, salt and sugar in the packaged food and to label junk food that contains more than the prescribed limit of these ingredients, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the FSSAI panel has recommended to tax highly processed foods sugar sweetened beverages, if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether the said panel has also recommended the banning of ads promoting products containing high amount of fat, salt and sugar during children’s TV shows, if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a): All Food Business Operators, including multi-chain restaurants, have to obtain license or registration, as the case may be, under Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 and have to comply with the conditions of license for ensuring safe and hygienic food. Failure to do so may result in penal action besides suspension/cancellation of license/registration. To check the compliance of the provisions of FSS Act and Rules and Regulations thereunder, regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products is carried out by the officials of the Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs.

(b): As per information available through Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS), 1,31,837 licenses and 52,720 registrations have been issued to restaurants.

(c): No specific complaint has been received in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in this regard.

(d): No such guidelines have been issued by FSSAI so far.

(e) & (f): To address holistically the issue of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) in food and associated health risks, FSSAI constituted an Expert Group which in its report, inter alia, recommended imposing additional tax on the purchase of commodities such as pre-packaged foods with high salt and fat content, sugar sweetened beverages, etc., and ban on advertising of foods with high FSS (Fats, Sugar and Salt) on children’s channels or during children shows. This report has also been placed on the website of FSSAI.