Question : Violations of Food Safety and Standards Act

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

(a) whether the cases of violations of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 by companies have come to the notice of the Government in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have monitored and verified that the food business operators have adhered to the relevant laws and other requirements at all stages of food business in the country, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of food products/ beverages tested by the FSSAI in the country during the said period, State/UTwise and Product-wise;

(d) whether food adulteration and contamination has increased the burden of Non-Communicable diseases across the country, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether most of the food samples analysed in 2013-14 were adulterated resulting into civil and criminal cases and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government in this regard and the total expenditure incurred on the promotion and operation of FSSAI during the last three years and the current years?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a): Food samples are tested under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 against standards prescribed for a particular food product. These tests are not done company wise but sample wise. Food production company wise details are not maintained by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Contd……..
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(b): Provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations thereunder, are primarily enforced through the Food Safety Departments of the State/Union Territory Governments.

(c): Sampling of food items is undertaken by the officials of Food Safety Departments of the respective States/UTs. As per information made available by States/UTs to FSSAI, numbers of samples of food items, including beverages analysed during 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, State/UT wise, are at Annexure.
(d): No such information is available either with FSSAI or the National Centre for Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
(e): As per information made available by States/UTs to FSSAI, numbers of food samples analysed, found adulterated/misbranded, and cases launched during 2013-14 are as under:-
No. of Samples Analysed No. of Samples found adulterated/ Misbranded
No. of Cases Launched
Criminal Civil
72,200 13,571 3105 7130

(f): In cases, where the food samples were found to be non-conforming, the State Food Departments have taken recourse to penal provisions under Chapter IX of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 such as launching civil and criminal cases and also adjudication process, as per the gravity of the offence. The total expenditure incurred by FSSAI during the last three years and the current year is as under :
Financial Year Total Expenditure in Rupees (Crores)
2014-15 44.65
2015-16 45.51
2016-17 76.15
2017-18 (till 31.07.2017) 33.23

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