FSSAI steps up festive food checks, orders inspections and on-the-spot testing across states

With demand for sweets, savouries, beverages, edible oils and dairy products set to rise ahead of Navratri and Diwali, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed states and Union territories to intensify food safety surveillance, conduct inspections and sampling, and deploy mobile testing units at key markets to check adulteration and unsafe food during the festive season.

In a directive dated September 29, FSSAI called for a special festive drive focused on preventing the circulation of adulterated, counterfeit and unsafe food products, particularly in categories that typically see a spike in consumption during the period. These include milk and milk products such as ghee, khoa and paneer, sweets, snacks and savouries including namkeen, papad and fryums, edible oil and beverages.

The instructions have been issued to Commissioners of all States and UTs as well as all regional directors of FSSAI. The regulator has marked the matter as "MOST IMPORTANT", signalling the priority attached to the festive food safety exercise.

The regulator has asked food safety officials across states and UTs to conduct inspections and sampling throughout the festive period, with particular attention to identified hotspots and sensitive locations. "These drives may be focused particularly on identified hot spots and sensitive locations under your jurisdiction," states the directive.

The commodities covered under the drive can also be tailored to regional eating patterns and the prevalence of specific products, the directive said. For instance, kuttu atta and singhada atta may receive greater attention in northern and western parts of the country.

The intensified surveillance comes as festive demand creates greater movement of food products through markets and retail channels. FSSAI said the upcoming Navratri and Diwali period is expected to see a "significant surge" in demand across the country, prompting the need for heightened enforcement to safeguard consumers.

As part of the drive, FSSAI has also asked states to strategically deploy Food Safety on Wheels (FSVWs), wherever available, in prominent marketplaces or at locations identified through intelligence inputs. These mobile units are intended to enable on-the-spot testing while also strengthening surveillance and creating consumer awareness.

The regulator said the deployment would help "facilitate on-the-spot testing, strengthen vigilance, create awareness and to boost consumer trust" during the festive season.

The directive also puts an emphasis on tracking the enforcement exercise in real time. Data relating to inspections, samples collected and their outcomes will have to be mandatorily updated or recorded on FoSCoS/FoSCoRIS on a real-time basis, allowing authorities to maintain a consolidated record of the action taken during the festive drive.