Prohibited Food Additives

Stevia as artificial sweetener and Sucralose in sugar marketed as Low Calorie Sugar are not permitted under PFARules, 1955, it has been notified to all States and Union Territories by FSSAI.

NEW FOOD ACT

Food Industry has been waiting for quite some time for the notification of new Food Regulations to enable the repealing of multiple food laws prevailing in India. The Food Safety and Standard Regulations have been notified and the same is effective on or after 5th August, 2011. With this the food industry feels a sigh of relief as the end of multiple of food laws to be followed. Hopefully the new Act will bring cheers to the industry as also to the consumers.

Food Business Operators

In an earlier post, it was mentioned that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India will be fully operational. Government is in the process of issuing a notification by which all the Food Business Operator will have to obtain an appropriate licence from FSSAI w.e.f. 6th August, 2011. The Act has provision of severe fine and punishments.
FBOs now will have great sighs of relief in so much so that the some of the multi-faceted food laws currently prevailing, will be repealed simultaneously and there will only be one and only one FSS Act.

Biggest FDI Deal

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared the historical biggest India's FDI BP-Reliance deal.
The Stage is set for allowing overseas retailers such as Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour to open stores in the country through majority-owned joint ventures.
BP-Reliance $ 7.2 Bn deal was given clearance on 22nd July, 2011 and is just to see the clerance by the Union Cabinet before the rules are notified.

FDI in Retail

It is presumed that the proposal for allowing Foreign Direct Investment in Retail will be cleared by Cabinet in a month's time. The proposal has got momentum with the active support of the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of India. The proposal will allow global retail chains to venture in India. It seems that the proposal which has now been debated for years, shall soon be seeing the light of the day.

CARREFOUR

The world's second largest retailer CARREFOUR, the French retailer is all set to open its second store in Jaipur. The first cash and carry store was opened in Delhi in December, 2010 in a sprawling 56,000 sq. ft. in a Metro Mall in East Delhi.

FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA [FSSAI]

FSSAI is expected to fully operationalize by early August 2011 by when the FSSAI Regulations are expected to be finally notified paving way for repealment of various complex food laws earlier prevailing in India. And the food business operators willl have to start following FSSAI licensing regulations effective that date.