Rotten meat scam: J&K govt orders strict compliance of FSSAI rules

Srinagar, Aug 21 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday issued orders for strict compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) rules with regard to handling, storage, packaging and sale of frozen meat, chicken and other meat products, warning of serious consequences in cases of violations.

A scandal recently rocked Kashmir when hundreds of kilos of rotten meat were recovered by the officials from unauthorised and inadequate storage facilities.

What shocked society was the disclosure that this trade had most probably been going on for many years before it was exposed in the Valley.

J&K Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has issued a public notice making it mandatory for all food business operators to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the FSSAI with regard to the handling, storage, packaging and sale of frozen raw meat, chicken and meat products.

The FDA Commissioner, in the notification, said that the directions apply to all manufacturers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, cold storage operators, transporters, as well as e-commerce platforms engaged in the sale or distribution of meat products.

The notice clearly warns that the sale of packaged frozen meat or chicken without proper and complete labelling is prohibited, and strict legal action will follow against violators.

According to the FDA, there are clear definitions of fresh, chilled and frozen meat. Fresh meat refers to meat that has not been treated in any way for preservation and is sold soon after slaughter.

Chilled meat means fresh meat kept at a temperature between zero degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius to extend short-term shelf life, permissible only for two to four days before consumption.

Frozen meat, on the other hand, must be stored and transported at minus18 degrees Celsius or lower, and such products should be consumed within 12 months from the date of freezing.

Establishments have also been directed to install calibrated temperature monitoring devices and maintain accurate records, both physical and digital, for inspection.

The FDA has further clarified that under the Packaging and Labeling Regulations, 2020, every packet of frozen meat and chicken must carry the name of the product, a complete list of ingredients, declaration of non-vegetarian status with symbol, net quantity, batch or lot number, date of manufacture or packing, expiry or use-by date, storage conditions, the name and address of the manufacturer/packer or importer, along with the FSSAI license number and logo.

For products sold through e-commerce platforms, the regulations make it mandatory that at the time of delivery, at least 30 per cent of the total shelf life should be available or a minimum of 45 days before expiry, whichever is earlier.

All mandatory information about the product must be displayed online for consumers before purchase, while packaging material has to be of food-grade quality, safe and non-toxic to avoid contamination.

If a product is labelled as Halal certified, which is voluntary, it must still meet all FSSAI safety, hygiene and labelling requirements.

The administration has warned of strict enforcement action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, against violators.

Penalties include seizure of non-compliant stock, fines up to Rs 5 lakh for sub-standard products, up to Rs 3 lakh for misbranded products or missing label declarations, up to Rs 2 lakh for operating without FSSAI registration and up to Rs 10 lakh for operating without a license.

Offences involving unsafe food carry imprisonment up to six years, along with a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.

The Commissioner has directed all food business operators to immediately review and upgrade their operations, ensure all records are updated and remove or delist any non-compliant products from their outlets and online platforms.

The order cautioned that failure to comply with the guidelines would result in swift legal action without any further notice.

The J&K and Ladakh High Court, acting on a PIL, on Tuesday asked the government to file its response on the rotten meat scandal within four days.

–IANS

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