Objective of Food Safety and Standards

Act 2006
JANUARY 14, 2013 BY DR. SAURABH ARORA LEAVE A COMMENT
The objective of the food law is to make available safe, pure, wholesome and nutritious
foodto the public. In 1954, the Indian government enacted the food law known as
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and Rules were made there under in 1955.
Besides this Act and the Rules, many other orders related to food like FPO, 1955, Milk and
Milk Product Order, 1973 and many others were being implemented in the country and the
multiplicity of food laws and multi departmental control was there.
With the change in scenario regarding food habits of the public, development in food
technologies and use of processed food of different varieties world wide, and to end the
multiplicity of food laws and multi departmental control, the need was felt to have a
integrated new food law. The Indian Government enacted a new food law known as the
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and to give effect to the provisions of this Act, Rules
and Regulations have been made there under known as the Food Safety and Standards
Rules,2011 and Regulations 2011. The Act, Rules and Regulations have come into force
w.e.f. 5
th
August2011.
This Food Safety Act consolidates all the previously existing laws relating to food and to
establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based
standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale
and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The
Food Authority acts as a single window to provide guidance and issue
clarifications/advisories for all matters related to food safety
On 5
th
August 2011The new Food Safety & Standards Act, Rules and Regulations replaces
the following food laws that were being implemented in the country.

1. The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act,1954.
2. The Fruit Products Order,1955.
3. The Meat Food Products Order,1973.
4. The Vegetable Oil Products Order,1947.
5. The Edible Oil Packaging Order,1988.
6. The Solvent Extracted Oil, De oiled Meal, and Edible Flour Order, 1967.
7. The Milk and Milk Products Order,1992 and
8. Any order relating to food issued under the Essential Commodities Act,
1955.