What is FSSAI?
FSSAI- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is the main regulatory body of the country dealing with food safety. FSSAI got commenced under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 to maintain the health of the public and oversee the safety of food and its standards.
On this context, FSSAI plays an important role for the regulation of nutraceutical industry and expanding its functions necessity for the Indian nutraceutical market. There is increased demand of nutraceuticals that comprise of dietary supplements, functional foods and fortified food products in the current society. FSSAI is quite helpful in the regulation of this industry to ensure that these products do not pose any danger to consumers and are of the required standards.
1. Regulation and Registration:
- FSSAI is responsible for the registration and servicing of license for nutraceutical products. This entails one having to present a detailed information which should comprise the details of the product the manufacturer is intending to produce in detail alongside the ingredients of the product, the way it is going to be formulated and its intended use as well as the safety profile of the product.
- The authority also regulates that all nutraceutical products following the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022.
2. Safety and Quality Control:
- FSSAI requires that every nutraceutical product goes through the safety measures to be taken before they are sold in the market.
- The authority also monitors that the manufacturing facilities are following the GMP and GHP for maintaining the quality and hygiene standards.
3. Labeling and Claims:
- It clearly shows that proper labeling is good for the awareness and safety of the consumer. FSSAI has provisions for the labeling of nutraceutical products so that they have nutritional facts and do not mislead the consumers.
- The authority also checks and supervises advertisements’ and other promotional products in an effort to avoid misleading information, exaggerated information on the health benefits of nutraceutical products.
4. Compliance and Surveillance:
- Once a new product is registered, FSSAI continues to conduct checkups and investigations to see whether the producers are following the standards of safety and quality.
- The authority has the right to order the removal from the market of such products that do not correspond to the specifications or can harm the population.
Role of Regulatory Authorities in the Nutraceuticals Industry
Regulatory authorities like FSSAI are vital for the nutraceutical industry for several reasons:
1. Consumer Safety:
To ensure that nutraceutical products do not offer their customers goods that are dangerous or of low quality, regulatory authorities set standards and ensure compliance.
2. Market Credibility:
The regulatory oversight goes a long way in developing trust in the nutraceutical market. Customers are more willing to pay for an item which is certified and has gone through a certain regulatory body.
3. International Trade:
Therefore, the nutraceutical products can be exported by observing the international standards and other regulations. Government agencies make sure that products are standardized to international quality so as to easily find market acceptance in the global market.
4. Public Health:
Through the management of the nutraceutical market, bodies such as FSSAI enhance the health of the public in various ways. They make sure consumers have healthy products to consume regarding the quality of the health supplements and functional foods they want to purchase.
In addition to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), several other regulatory authorities play a role in overseeing the nutraceutical industry in India:
1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
2. Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
3. Manufacturing Division of Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine (PLIM).
4. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
Conclusion
FSSAI has a central position in the authorization and surveillance of the nutraceutical business in India. The steps safeguard the interests of consumers by providing them with quality and safe products which in turns create a healthy market.
