Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Aug 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a strict public notice, directing all Food Business Operators (FBOs) — including manufacturers, retailers, cold storage units, transporters and e-commerce platforms to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) guidelines on the sale of frozen raw meat, chicken and allied products.
According to the public notice issued by the Office of the Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration, Drugs & Food Control Organization, Smita Sethi, Commissioner FDA J&K, no packaged meat products can be sold without complete and proper labeling.
Any violation, it warns, will attract heavy penalties, seizure of stock, or even imprisonment under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The notice states that in the interest of safeguarding public health and ensuring the highest standards of food safety, all FBOs including manufacturers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, cold storage operators, transporters, and e-commerce platforms, must strictly comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2020 with regard to the handling, storage, distribution, and sale of frozen raw meat, chicken and meat products.
It underlines that the sale of such packaged food products without proper and complete label declarations is strictly prohibited.
On ‘fresh meat,’ the notice defines it as meat that has not been treated in any way to ensure its preservation and is sold soon after slaughter.
On ‘chilled meat,’ it states that fresh meat subjected to chilling must attain and be maintained at a temperature between 0°C and 4°C to extend short-term shelf life.
On ‘frozen meat,’ the notice explains it as meat that has been previously chilled and then subjected to freezing in appropriate equipment so that the product attains a temperature of -18°C or lower to preserve it for long-term storage and transportation.
It adds that frozen meat and meat products must be stored and transported at a temperature of -18°C or below at all stages, from production to the point of sale.
“Short-term chilled storage at 4°C is permissible only for a maximum of two to four days prior to consumption. Products stored at -18°C or below should be consumed within twelve months from the date of freezing. All establishments must be equipped with calibrated temperature monitoring devices and must maintain accurate documentary and digital records for verification during inspections,” the notice further reads.
The FDA stressed that in accordance with the Packaging and Labeling Regulations, 2020, every package of frozen meat or chicken must clearly display including Name of the food product, Complete list of ingredients, Declaration of non-vegetarian status with the prescribed symbol, Net quantity, Batch or lot number, Date of manufacture & packing, “Expiry” or “Use By” date, Storage conditions, Name and complete address of the manufacturer, packer, or importer and FSSAI license number and logo.
For e-commerce sales, the notice makes it mandatory that products delivered must have at least 30% of shelf life remaining or a minimum of 45 days before expiry, whichever is earlier. All mandatory information must be accessible to consumers prior to purchase, and product images must be displayed online.
Packaging materials, it stressed, must be food-grade, safe, non-toxic, and fully compliant with FSSAI standards to prevent contamination. Products labeled as “Halal Certified” (voluntary) must also meet all FSSAI safety, hygiene, and labeling requirements.
The FDA warned that non-compliance will attract strict enforcement action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Penalties include Up to Rs: 5 lakh for sub-standard products (Section 51), Up to Rs: 3 lakh for misbranded products or missing label declarations (Section 52), Up to Rs: 1 lakh for insanitary conditions (Section 56), Up to Rs: 2 lakh for operating without FSSAI registration (Section 48) and Up to Rs: 10 lakh for operating without an FSSAI license (Section 63).
Furthermore, offenses involving unsafe food are punishable with imprisonment for up to six years along with a fine of up to Rs: 5 lakh, as per Section 59(iii) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The commissioner has directed all FBOs to immediately review and upgrade their operations, ensure compliance, maintain proper records, and delist any non-compliant products from outlets and online platforms. “Failure to comply will result in swift legal action without any further notice,” the FDA warned.
