Food safety and standard authority of India have announced that every food shipment (mentioned in Annexure-II) coming in the Indian territory would be permitted to sell unless the consignment is annexed with a GM-free certificate having FSSAI license. In simple terms- FSSAI mandates a non-GM certificate for the exporter of overseas locations. The non-GM certificate should be based on Annexure-II format issued by the regulatory body of the exporting countries. The order would come into effect from the start of the next year, i:e 01/01/2021.
Why FSSAI mandates non-GM certificate for the exporter of overseas location?
The decision has been taken in the view of a sub-regulation 12(2) of Food safety and standards regulation 2017 advocates the assurance of quality regarding the imported foods in India. The regulation stresses the avoidance of GMP-based food.
Format of non-GM certificate
The non-GM certificate encloses a self-declaration of the exporter regarding the non-GM food shipment, followed by the given information that should be filled by exporters.
- Particulars of the exporter (name and address)
- Particular of the manufacturer (name and address)
- Particular of the consignee
- Product description
- Invoice details
- Batch number Product description
- Detail of expiration of the products
- Quantity of product available in the shipment
- Manufacturing and packing date of the product
- Type of packing
- Probable Date of loading
- Valuation of FOB
- Name of the exporting country.
After filing up aforesaid particulars, the applicant must approach to the relevant authority for the approval purpose of a non-GM certificate. Upon validating the credential, the authority must authenticate the application via signature and valid stamp.
Read our article:The objective of the Food Safety and Standards Act of India (FSSAI) 2006
List of Food covers under the Annexure 1
The following are the list of Food covers under Annexure 1. Those are as follows:-
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
- Apple (Malus X Domestica)
- Argentina canola (Brassica napus)
- Cowpea (Vigna unguiculate)
- Maize (Zea mays)
- Papaya (Carica papaya)
- Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
- Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum)
- Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L)
- Rice (Oryza Sativa[1])
- Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
- Squash (Cucurbita pepo)
- Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
- Egg Plant (Solanum melanogoa)
- Plum (Prunus domestica)
- Soybean (Glycine max)
- Flaxseed (Linumusitatissimum L)
- Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris)
- Polish canola (Brassica rapa)
- Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
- Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
- Sugarcane (Saccharum sp)
- Melon (Cucumis melo)
Key Pointers on Declaration
- FSSAI’s new declaration would ban the entry of GMP based food products in the Indian market coming from overseas locations.
- GMP based food is potentially dangerous as they contain countless harmful bacteria and chemicals.
- The recent notification from FSSAI would become effective from next year.
Conclusion
Some of the experienced officials praised this decision and tagged it as a landmark in the direction of people’s safety. Such an amendment would raise the requirement of extensive testing. The implementation of such provisions would force the exporters to exclude the food item reared via genetically modified organisms.
It would eventually help the end-user stay away from the articulated food items potentially dangerous from the health point of view. CorpBiz shall be at your disposal to assit you in fetching your non-GM certificate, or any cerfification related to FSSAI. We will be utmost happy to serve you well.
Read our article:FSSAI Rules and Regulations for Food Sector
