Instances have been reported of stale and expired sweets being sold to customers. Consumption of these items may lead to potential health hazards. In light of these instances, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued directions (order dated 24 February 2020) regarding the display of ‘Date of Manufacturing’ and ‘Best Before Date’ in case of pre-packaged and pre-packed sweets. This order will come into force from 1 June 2020.
In addition, the order also mentioned that the ‘Date of Manufacturing’ and ‘Best Before Date’ must be mentioned on the labels of pre-packaged and pre-packed sweets according to provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (“Packaging and Labelling”) Regulations, 2011. Further, in case of non-packaged or loose sweets, the container or tray holding the sweet must display the ‘Date of Manufacturing’ and “Best Before Date” of the product.
The Food Business Operators (FBOs) dealing in sweets must comply with all these directions depending upon the nature of the product and local conditions.
