FSSAI food packaging norms to be effective from July

The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is preparing for implementation of new packaging regulations, which will be effective from July 1, 2019. Successful implementation of these regulations will need integrated efforts from all stakeholders, particularly the chemical industry. The institution has made brand owners responsible for the food safety aspects of their packaging materials. Its guidelines recognise the carcinogenic impact of newsprint ink and dyes on human life, apart from the presence of unhealthy pathogenic micro-organisms used in newspapers. Monitoring the unorganised sector that is known to use packaging material like newspapers, plastic sheets and recycled sheets, will be a major challenge.