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Amid rising consumer complaints, food regulator FSSAI on Tuesday (November 12, 2024) directed e-commerce players selling food items on their platforms to ensure a minimum shelf life of 30% or 45 days before expiry, at the time of delivery to customers.

According to an official statement, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) convened a meeting with e-commerce Food Business operators (FBOs) to reinforce compliance requirements for e-commerce FBOs.

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“The (FSSAI) CEO asked the e-commerce FBOs to adopt practices to ensure minimum shelf life of 30% or 45 days before expiry at the time of delivery to the consumer,” the statement said.

Mr. Rao, who chaired the meeting, clarified that any product claims made on e-commerce platforms must align with the information provided on the product labels and in adherence to FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations.

He also cautioned the FBOs against making unsupported claims online.

“This would prevent misleading information and protect consumers’ right to accurate product details,” the regulator said.

Mr. Rao highlighted the pivotal role of online platforms in protecting consumer health and promoting transparency. He reiterated the mandate that no FBO can operate on any e-commerce platform without a valid FSSAI license or registration, emphasising the critical need for regulatory compliance.

In a move to ensure safe food handling at every level, he instructed FBOs to implement proper training programs for delivery personnel, empowering them with essential food safety and hygiene protocols.

Additionally, Mr. Rao emphasised the importance of delivering food and non-food items separately to consumers to avoid potential contamination.

In his concluding remarks, the CEO, FSSAI underscored the need for all e-commerce FBOs to adhere to food safety standards diligently.

He added that a transparent, compliant and accountable e-commerce food sector is vital for protecting consumer health and fostering confidence in digital food marketplaces.

The session was attended by over 200 participants joined both physically and virtually from across the country, underscoring the significant commitment to strengthening food safety standards within the e-commerce sector.

Earlier this month, the FSSAI asked state authorities to increase surveillance in warehouses of e-commerce operators and issue standard operating procedures (SoPs) for delivery personnel to ensure safe food to consumers.

In its 45th Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on November 7, States and Union Territories were urged to ramp up surveillance at popular tourist destinations to ensure heightened safety standards in preparation for the peak tourist season from November through March.

Mr. Rao had asked “Food Commissioners of various states to step up surveillance on warehouses and other facilities utilised by e-commerce platforms.”

He also asked for SOPs to be issued for such warehouses, as well as delivery personnel of these platforms.

“States/UTs were asked to increase surveillance samples and were also asked to deploy Food Safety on Wheels mobile vans for this purpose,” the regulator said.