In a recent development, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced the cancellation of the tender it had previously issued for the ‘Pan-India Surveillance of Food Products.’ The decision to cancel the tender was attributed to administrative reasons, as stated in an official notice released by the FSSAI.
The tender, initially issued on March 14, 2023, had outlined plans for a comprehensive nationwide surveillance program on food products for the 2023-24 period. The primary objective of this initiative was to assess the safety and quality of food products available in the Indian market, as well as to pinpoint vulnerable areas where food adulteration and malpractices might be prevalent.
The scope of this surveillance program encompassed a wide range of food products, including dairy items and analogues, cereals and cereal products, nuts and oil seeds, meat and meat products (including poultry), fish and fish products, sweeteners such as honey, fruit and vegetable products, food designed for special dietary purposes, and nutraceutical products. All these items were to undergo rigorous analysis to evaluate various safety parameters.
The surveillance was intended to encompass food products produced, manufactured, marketed, or imported in India. It was designed to assess both horizontal and vertical parameters of food safety and quality. Horizontal standards were aimed at covering various categories of food and involved criteria related to contaminants, toxins, residues, packaging, labeling, and more. On the other hand, vertical standards focused on the identity and composition of specific food products, including additives and microbiological requirements.
To facilitate this extensive surveillance effort, the FSSAI had solicited applications from eligible agencies to conduct the surveillance on its behalf. The overarching goal of this initiative, as articulated by the FSSAI, was to establish a robust and continuous surveillance framework that would enhance enforcement measures, ensuring the provision of safe, nutritious, and high-quality food products to consumers across India.
However, the cancellation of the tender has raised questions about the future of such an ambitious surveillance program and the potential impact on food safety and quality standards in the country.