The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a detailed advisory outlining new safety measures for foodtech platforms.
Five measures for food tech companies
This move comes after a surge in complaints related to food products sold online. The advisory directs food delivery and quick commerce platforms to comply with five new measures to ensure consumer safety and product integrity.
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Reportedly, the FSSAI has emphasised the importance of training last-mile delivery executives in food safety and hygiene practices. “One of the critical needs for ecommerce FBOs (food business operators) is to prioritise the training of the last-mile delivery personnel,” the advisory said. This training should cover safe handling and transportation of food to prevent contamination, as well as personal hygiene and proper sanitisation procedures.
In addition, the advisory directs platforms to ensure that food and non-food items are delivered separately to avoid cross-contamination. Additionally, foodtech platforms are barred from listing sellers without displaying their FSSAI licence or registration numbers.
FSSAI warns of regulatory action to online marketplaces
The FSSAI has also emphasized the importance of accurate labeling and advertising. Claims made by quick commerce platforms should “fully align” with the information on the product’s physical label. The food safety organisation has warned of “regulatory action” against online marketplaces that indulge in “misleading or unsupported claims”.
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Further, the new guidelines require online marketplaces to prominently display hygiene ratings. This would spur customer trust and allow users to make more “informed purchasing decisions”.
These new norms come after several incidents of food safety concerns. The FSSAI has taken these incidents seriously and has held a meeting with the executives of ecommerce and quick commerce platforms to formulate rigorous food safety norms for the online ecosystem.
