It’s relaxing news for FBOs as FSSAI has issued new guidelines regarding the rectification process for cases of minor labelling defects which are insignificant and not posing any food safety concern.
Earlier, FBOs had to face legal harassment even due to the minor mistakes on the labels which had no relation with the food safety and a lot of time and resources were lost in the rectification process. FSSAI has identified this and has come up with a new guideline.
Under this guideline, the minor defects are divided in exception and mandatory categories. Defects lying in the minor category by FSSAI will not go into legal adjudication but will be rectified by issuing improvement notice to the FBO under section 32 of FSS Act 2006.
Minor Labelling Defects for which Compliance Notice should be initiated through Improvement Notice
| Minor Labelling Defects | Exceptions For Certain Categories | Mandatory Cases/Categories | |
| 1 | Deviation in the display format of FSSAI License number and logo | All Categories | NIL |
| 2 | Improper printing, like printing over sealed edge where the details are non-readable. | Small scale Sweet and Savouries units which are sold in packets for immediate consumption. | All other Food. |
| 3 | List of Ingredients not displayed on the label | 1.Single Ingredients Food
2. Small scale Sweet and Savouries units which are sold in packets for immediate consumption. |
All Compound Ingredients Foods other than listed in Exception column |
| 4 | Lot/Batch code no. not displayed on the label | 1. Small scale Sweet and Savouries units which are sold in packets for immediate consumption.
2.Repacking by Departmental Stores and Retail outlets |
1.Nutraceuticals
2.All other Foods |
| 5 | Nutritional Fats not displayed on Label | 1.Single Ingredients Food
2.Small scale Sweet and Savouries units which are sold in packets for immediate consumption. |
1.Nutraceuticals
2.Biscuits 3.Dieting Supplements 4.Milk &b Milk products other than sweets
|
| 6 | Non-compliance in respect of Capital letters/Mentioned in Box/Font size but the content is in compliance | All categories | NIL |
| 7 | Veg and Non-Veg Logo not displayed on the label | 1. Small scale Sweet and Savouries units which are sold in packets for immediate consumption.
2.Edible Vegetable Oil
|
1.Ghee & Vanaspati
2.Nutraceuticals 3.Bakery items 4.Ice Creams |
The detailed categorisation can be found under Annexure A of the Letter No.1(56)2015/Advisory/FSSAI(Pt-1) dated 17.01.2020 issued from the office of Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Deputy Director (RCD), FSSAI.
