FSS Act was enacted by parliament in 2006 to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental there of Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 was made on the basis of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006) or FSS Act, 2006 and in exercise of the powers conferred by section 91 of FSS Act read with the sections 5,7,30,36,37,38,39,40,41,43,45,46, 47,68,70,71,73,74,75,76,77,78,81,82,83 and 84, Whose objective is “ to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 2.1.2: 1 QUALIFICATION of the Designated Officer shall be a whole time Officer, not below the rank of Sub-Divisional Officer or equivalent and shall possess a minimum of bachelors’ degree in Science with chemistry as one of the subjects or at least one of the educational qualifications prescribed for the Food Safety Officer under these Rules He shall Undergo training as may be specified by the Food Authority, within a period of six months from the date of his appointment as Designated Officer. Many others including food officer can be appointed under PF Duties and responsibilities are subjective with QUALIFICATION OF FOOD SAFETY OFFICER: is too wide from medical degree to degree in chemistry with clauses for other ad-hoc ism. Duties include regular inspection Food analyst qualifications similar: role identification and linkages vague Possible Too much procedural norms than technical protocol. 17 Food analyst shall determine if samples size (no norm?) for each food materials or adjunct, prescribed container, time of sending Adjudication, appeal etc. Salary leave , resignation, removal, fee, sitting hours of appellate tribunal, summons, etc. etc, right relax the rules IN NUTSHELL THERE IS MORE EMPHASIS ON REACTIVE MECHANISMS THAN PROACTIVE PREVENTIVE ACTIONS OR ANY PROCEDURE WITH WICH THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW IF THE FOOD BOUGHT BY THEM IS SAFE TO USE. OR ANY PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THE MATERIAL TESTED. Adulteration has to be chemically analyzed, presence of toxin by toxicologists, and microbes or its effect through microbiologist. Even in norms HACCP has to be recognized for each product / material. The types of harvesting/ collecting, transport, processing, packing or retail if any etc. etc.
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