NEW DELHI: Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s top food regulator has directed all Food Business Operator (FBO) not to use plastics, newspaper and paper sheets for wrapping and packing of food items.
“This is the latest direction to all FBOs by the apex food regulator. The move is taken after the results of two studies conducted by FSSAI which noted the presence of chemical contamination and heavy metals from packing materials into food,” reads a report in India Today.
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The new packaging regulations will come into effect after July 1, 2019 warning measures will be taken against the sellers if food items are sold in recyclable plastics, newspapers and magazine pages.
Pawan Agarwal, CEO of FSSAI told Mail Today, “We have given time to all FBOs till July 1, 2019 to gear up for the new packaging guidelines. The greater safety concern is for food packaging material by unorganised sector or loose packing. These regulations prohibit packaging materials made of recycled plastics, including carry bags for packaging, storing, carrying or dispensing articles of food.”