AIFPA

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has expanded the disciplines recognised for the post of food safety officers. In a notification, the food authority has included Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or Bachelor of Dental Surgery or Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery or Bachelor of Sowa Rigpa Medicine and Surgery, for the post of food safety officer. According to experts, including medical professionals as Food Safety Officers will make food safety checks stronger. They understand how bad food affects health and can find risks faster. This means better inspections, quicker action on food poisoning cases and stricter rules for unhealthy or fake food products. India faces food safety challenges like food poisoning, fake food products and not enough inspectors. More experts will help improve food quality, protect people’s health and make sure food businesses follow the rules, said Mr. Ashwin Bhadri, CEO, Equinox Labs. It is pertinent to mention that most current FSOs come from science backgrounds but are often overworked due to staff shortages and large areas to cover and this affects inspections and delays action. Including doctors and traditional medicine experts will increase manpower, reduce workload and improve how food risks are identified and managed—making our food system safer, added Bhadri.

To revitalize Assam’s struggling tea industry, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has agreed to extend the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) scheme to tea estates in the state. The decision follows persistent efforts by the North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), which had urged the government to address land classification barriers preventing tea gardens from availing the scheme. Read More

U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest move to impose steep reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports under what he has termed “Liberation Day” is expected to significantly impact India’s food and agriculture exports, particularly processed seafood, sugar, dairy, and spices, experts warn. Read More

The Supreme Court has set a three-month deadline for the Centre to implement food safety norms that make it mandatory to display key information about packaged food items on containers. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, the bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan said the Centre must decide amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 within three months. Read More

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, has officially designated the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM-K), Kundli as a National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Fortified Foods. Read More

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has announced the reclassification of points related to ‘food grade packaging material’ from ‘Non-Critical’ to ‘Critical’ in the inspection checklists for various food sectors. This significant update underscores the vital role that packaging plays in maintaining food safety and compliance with the FSS (Packaging) Regulations, 2018. Read More

Nestle India has officially laid the foundation stone for its upcoming manufacturing facility in Khordha, Odisha, marking a significant milestone as the company’s tenth factory in India and its first in the Eastern region. The ceremony was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The new plant is being established with an initial investment of approximately Rs 900 crore in its first phase and will focus on producing items from the company’s food portfolio, specifically prepared dishes and cooking aids. This expansion is part of the company’s commitment to growing its presence across India and supporting Government ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Even after 3.5 years of its creation, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Rate Rationalisation set up by the GST Council, is yet to submit its final report. Read More

The ongoing global tariff conflict, initiated by the United States, is reshaping the global dairy trade — and India stands to gain big. According to Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns iconic dairy brand Amul, India could capture up to half of the US dairy export market, thanks to growing disruptions and retaliatory tariffs. Nearly 50% of US dairy exports are directed to regions surrounding India, including West Asia, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, China, Japan, and South Korea — many of which are now reconsidering their trade strategies due to heightened import duties from the US. “We believe many of these nations would turn to an alternative dairy supplier,” Mehta said. “As the world’s largest milk producer, India is well-positioned to capitalise on this situation.” This geopolitical shift follows a wave of retaliatory measures against the US. For instance, China has already imposed a 34% tariff on US imports. Several other countries have also expressed dissatisfaction and may follow suit with similar tariff hikes. While India may not compete in South American and European markets due to logistical constraints, Mehta believes the opportunity to penetrate Asian and African markets is significant. “India was already on the path to become the dairy of the world. The tariff war will only accelerate the process,” he noted. Industry experts echo this optimism, pointing to the potential for India to diversify its export destinations and strengthen its position as a global dairy supplier amid shifting trade dynamics. The evolving scenario could mark a new chapter for India’s dairy sector on the global stage — not just as the largest milk producer but as a rising dairy exporter with expanding global influence.

In a move aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight and consumer trust in plant-based products, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new guidelines for the import of vegan food items. Under the draft amendments, all vegan food imports must now be accompanied by an official certificate issued by a recognized authority in the exporting country, verifying compliance with India’s vegan food regulations. Read More