The Hindu Business Line : Edible oils, grains import put in `high risk' food items list

THE Government has categorised edible oils, foodgrains, mineral water, tea & coffee and a host of dairy products as being `high risk' food items, the imports of which would be subjected to 100 per cent sampling under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

The list of `high risk' edible/food products notified by the Commerce Ministry, in a circular issued on Monday, include edible oils and fats `in any form', pulses and pulses products, cereals and cereal products, milk powders, condensed milks, infant milk powder, milk cereal base weaning foods, infant formulae, food colours, food additives, natural mineral water, packaged drinking water, tea & coffee and cocoa butter equivalents or substitutes.

The categorisation of the above food items as `high risk' would mean that all their consignments imported through ports, airports, inland container depots, customs freight stations or land customs stations would be referred to port health officers (PHO) for testing. The consignments would be cleared only after receipt of the test report.

"Pending receipt of test report, such consignments may be allowed to be stored in warehouses under Section 49 of the Customs Act, 1962. If the product fails the test, the Customs authorities will ensure that the goods are sent out of the country by following the usual adjudication procedure or destroyed as required under the relevant rules," officials said.

In addition to testing of food items under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, the `high risk' items will also be subject to examination to ensure compliance of the requirements of other Acts, regulations, and orders such as Meat Food Products Order, 1973, Plants, Fruits and Seeds (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 1989 and the Livestock Importation Act, before these are permitted clearance into the country.

The 100 per cent sampling norms would also apply in respect of edible/food products like fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and cheese that are categorised as `perishable', the list of which will also be notified soon.

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Edible oils, grains import put in `high risk' food items list