In October 2024, the first amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2024, was introduced to curb the misuse of antibiotics in the production of animals for food. The new rules will come into force on 1 April 2025. This new regulation is a great step forward in ensuring the safety of food consumed by millions of people in India. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary objective of this amendment is to deal with the unsafe and increasing concern of antibiotic residues in food, such as in animal products (milk, meat, poultry, eggs, and fish). According to a report, the use of antibiotics in animals has led to an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has become one of the greatest global health threats. Hence, this regulation set is meant to enhance food safety standards in consideration of public health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The preference of people towards a healthy lifestyle is increasing day by day. This is also one reason for the shift towards healthy products. According to a recent survey by GlobalData found that 73% of Indian consumers consider health and well-being when buying food and beverages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we tend to explain the various changes that have been brought by FSSAI; provide clarity on what it means to both consumers and producers; and highlight challenges in monitoring and enforcement of the new roles. We will further discuss how these regulations could affect the food industry along with public health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n