9.1. Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006

Till the year 2005, thirteen different laws were applicable on the food and food processing sector. Multiple laws/ regulations prescribe varied standards regarding food additives, contaminants, food colours, preservatives and labelling. In order to rationalize the multiplicity of food laws, a Group of Ministers (GoM) was set up to suggest legislative and other changes to formulate integrated food law, to be a single reference point in relation to regulation of food products. Based on the recommendations of the GoM, the Ministry of Food Processing enacted the Food Safety & Standard Act (FSSA), 2006.

This Act was meant to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.