FSSAI Warns E-Commerce Giants of Strict Action Over Food Safety Violations

All e-commerce sites were forewarned by the FSSAI on 8 July to maintain strict food safety and hygiene standards or risk punishment. G Kamala Vardhana Rao, the CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), presided over the meeting where the warning was given.

More than 70 representatives from top e-commerce platforms attended the meeting, which aimed to improve food safety and hygiene standards across the e-commerce food supply chain.

The CEO reminded the representatives of these platforms that food safety is extremely important and that any failure to follow food safety procedures will be taken very seriously, possibly resulting in harsh consequences.

Additionally, he emphasised how crucial food safety is in the quickly growing e-commerce industry.

CEO Issued Various Crucial Directives

The CEO gave the e-commerce platforms some important instructions during the discussions. On each receipt, invoice, and cash memo given to customers, he instructed them to clearly display their FSSAI License/Registration numbers.

Additionally, they were requested to include information about the Food Safety Connect App on any documents that are viewed by consumers.

The need for e-commerce companies to publish thorough information on all warehouses and storage facilities connected to their activities on the FoSCoS platform was also emphasised.

It was also debated whether food products' "Date of Expiry/Use By" may be shown on the user interface.

In addition, the CEO directed all e-commerce platforms to strictly comply with food safety and hygiene regulations in all of their warehouses and storage facilities, making sure that images of these establishments are consistently posted to the FoSCoS web.

All food handlers participating in the process, including those working in e-commerce, were also required to complete mandatory FSSAI FoSTaC (Food Safety Instruction & Certification) instruction on hygienic procedures.

Platforms must notify FSSAI of their training schedules and plans. Additionally, they must strictly adhere to all FSS Act regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Warehouses to be Registered or Licenced by FSSAI

A strong emphasis was placed on the importance of all warehouses associated with e-commerce operations being duly registered or licensed by FSSAI.

To further ensure increased transparency and compliance, e-commerce platforms were also instructed to provide the FSSAI with information about their warehouses, food handlers, and other pertinent data.

The FSSAI statement said that the food regulator has underlined that everyone in the supply chain, from manufacturing to home delivery, is accountable for compliance and that food safety is a shared duty.

To guarantee that the entire procedure is incredibly secure for customers, a cooperative approach is necessary.

The statement went on to say that the FSSAI is unwavering in its resolve to ensure that consumers receive food items that are safe and wholesome, regardless of whether they buy them online or through conventional retail channels.