CA Pankit Shah

Artificial Fruit Ripening Ethylene used in different forms is approved by FSSAI to ripen the fruits, up to a limited concentration of 100 parts per million. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive to food safety commissioners in all States and UTs to undertake effective surveillance and enforcement activities for preventing the use of banned substances such as calcium carbide or acetylene gas for artificial ripening of fruits. They are also advised to do similar exercise for vegetables to check the level of pesticides. According to FSSAI, despite prohibition on sale of artificially ripened fruits using calcium carbide, the prevalence of such ripened fruits in the market is a serious cause of concern which needs to be tackled effectively. A focused and sustained awareness campaign at Mandi level may be conducted for the FBOs. The awareness campaign in this regard may also be conducted through media for proper education of the FBOs.

‘loose’ sweets will carry best-before date From June 1 .  Your neighbourhood  halwai  shop will soon have to declare the manufacturing and best before date of all loose sweets available in his shop. India’s food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked local mithai and sweet shop owners to display the manufacturing date and the “best before" date on loose sweets sold in their shops in a move that will help ensure that the consumers are purchasing a fresh product. Shops told to indicate manufacturing and expiry date of non-packaged sweets at display counters; currently rule applies only to packaged sweets . FSSAI—the food regulator—has asked all mithai shops to use such labelling on the trays that carry loose sweets. “Further, in public interest and to ensure food safety, it has been directed that in case of non-packaged/loose sweets the container or tray holding sweets at the outlet should display the “date of manufactur