The apex food regulator of the country has extended the timeline for compliance of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Fourth Amendment Regulations related to regulations of packaged drinking water other than mineral water.
The reason was informed to be the unpreparedness of food businesses due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These regulations were supposed to be implemented from 1st July, 2021, but now shall be implemented from 1st January, 2022. Earlier also, the timeline for compliance of this regulation was 1st July, 2020, but was subsequently extended till 1st January, 2021.
The FSSAI order in this regard states- “Stakeholders requested for further extension of time for compliance since food business operators are yet not prepared to comply with the said provision due to the lockdown implemented to check the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.”
And “after due consideration of the representation, it has been decided to further extend the deadline for compliance related to the limits of calcium and magnesium for the standards of packaged drinking water other than mineral water, upto 1st January, 2022,” the order informs.
The decision was made by the FSSAI after a consultative meeting with the stakeholders. FSSAI asserts that the decision was taken as the industry has sought extension of the timeline for the compliance with the provisions of these regulations. As per the FSSAI, the food businesses have said the food regulator that owing to the COVID-19 pandemic they were yet to prepare for the compliance and hence need time.
