Realising the need for a separate law for regulating the standards of foods for infant nutrition, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”) has proposed the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2019 (Draft Regulations) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. While maintaining the standard of food in general is essential, when it comes to food for infants, compliance with standard and quality becomes even more critical, so that the food made available in the market in no way compromises with the immune system of the infants who will be consuming the products.
This Draft Regulation proposes to ensure this from food standard perspective.
The Draft Regulation will soon supersede sub-regulation 2.1.19 in Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 where the FSSAI had set standards for food for infant nutrition.
The FSSAI has invited comments and suggestions from the stakeholders on the Draft Regulations by May 30, 2019.
Objections or suggestions, if any, can be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi- 110002 or may be sent by e-mail at regulation@fssai.gov.in.
Key Highlights of the Draft Regulation:
- For the purpose of the Draft Regulations, infant will be considered as a person of not more than 12 months of age.
- The Draft Regulation specifies the composition, parameters, limits and permitted food additives for the following categories of infant food-
- Infant Milk Food
- Infant formula
- Milk cereal based complementary Food
- Processed cereal based complementary Food
- Follow-up Formula
- Infant Formula for Special Medical Purpose
- Food for Infant based on Traditional food ingredients
- Food for infant nutrition shall be packed in hermetically sealed, clean and sound containers or in flexible pack made from paper, polymer and/ or metallic film as per requirements under the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011. This excludes infant formula for special medical purpose and food for infant based on traditional food ingredients, which will be required to conform to the microbiological standards for milk and milk products of category infant formula as provided under Appendix B of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
- Food for infant nutrition will be required to comply with the requirements of the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1992. In case of infant formula for special medical purpose the labelling provision “MOTHER’S MILK IS BEST FOR YOUR BABY” shall not be required under the said Act.
- Compliance with the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 is mandatory for all food for infant nutrition. However, the requirement of standard pack size under this shall not apply to infant formula for special medical purpose. For the categories Infant Formula for Special Medical Purpose and Food for Infant based on Traditional food ingredients, specific labelling requirements have also been laid down under the Draft Regulation.
- Manufacturing, selling, storing or exhibiting for sale, an infant milk food, infant formula and milk cereal based complementary food, processed cereal based complementary food and follow up formula, excluding infant formula for special medical purpose, shall be under Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark.
Source: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
