FSSAI Introduces Food Safety Compliance Portal In 4 Regional Languages

Food safety regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched the Food Safety Compliance System (FOSCOS) portal in four regional languages besides Hindi and English to improve users' experience and increase accessibility.

Also available in Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi:

• The Food Safety Compliance System portal is now available in Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi apart from Hindi and English.
• In this context, an official statement said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is planning to launch this portal in Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Assamese, Bengali and Odia soon.
• It said the latest advancements are aimed at enhancing the user experience for local food businesses, enabling them to easily connect to FOSCOS, FSSAI's online compliance portal launched across the country in 2020.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):

• Established: 2008
• Headquarters: Delhi
• FSSAI, an independent statutory body formed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act), operates under the administrative oversight of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
• The FSS Act, 2006 consolidates various Acts and Orders which were dealing with food related issues in various Ministries and Departments till now. For example -
  • Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
  • Fruit Products Order, 1955
  • Meat Food Products Order, 1973
  • Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947
  • Edible Oil Packaging (Regulation) Order, 1988
  • Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992
  • Laws like FSS Act, 2006 etc. were replaced by the FSS Act, 2006.
• As a result, FSSAI was established in 2008 but the functioning of the Food Authority began effectively in the year 2011 after its rules and key regulations were notified.
• It also marks a shift from multi-level to single control, with a focus on self-compliance rather than purely regulatory governance.

Major procedures to be followed by FSSAI:

• Grant of license for food business
• Ensuring compliance through inspection
• Testing food for compliance with standards
• setting standards for food products
• develop safe food practices
• Improving compliance by building capacity
• ensuring citizen access

Main functions of FSSAI:

• To determine rules to set food safety standards and guidelines.
• FSSAI provides licensing and certification to food businesses.
• To set procedures and guidelines for laboratories working in food businesses.
• Advising the government in policy making.
• Collect data about contaminants in food products, identify emerging risks and initiate early warning systems.
• To create an information network across the country regarding food security.
• To increase general awareness regarding food safety and food standards.

Structure of FSSAI:

• FSSAI consists of a Chairman and 22 members, one-third of whom are women.
• The Central Government appoints the Chairman of FSSAI.
• The Food Authority is assisted in setting standards through scientific committees and panels and a Central Advisory Committee in coordination with enforcement agencies.
• The primary responsibility for enforcement rests primarily with the State Food Safety Commissioners.