India Issues Imported Food Clearance Process Guidelines
The Foreign Agricultural Service has issued a GAIN1 report on guidelines issued September 28, 2010 by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding FSSAI’s imported food clearance process.
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Guidelines Are for FSSAI Officers, Prompted by Reports of Clearance Delays
The FSSAI guidelines are for its authorized officers and are targeted to help streamline the clearance process at the ports. They follow the recent appointment of new FSSAI authorized officers and reports of delays in the clearance process.
Covers Sampling, Testing, Clearance of Imported Food at Sea Ports
The report highlights FSSAI guidelines for sampling, testing, and clearance of imported food items at the sea ports. For example, FSSAI officers should:
- only apply the criteria for 100% sampling to high risk and perishable food items such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, etc;
- refer all samples to an authorized laboratory;
- ascertain that for imported pre-packaged food items, language, best before date, nutritional information, etc. is in compliance with the labeling provisions under the PFA rules. If a consignment is not in compliance, the sample will not be drawn;
- verify that the product has a valid shelf life.
1Global Agricultural Information Network