FSSAI comes out with regulations for vegan foods

Seeking to put in place a strict regulatory framework for vegan foods in the country, FSSAI has made it compulsory for manufacturers of such products to display the logo specified by the authority for easier recognition as well as ensure traceability of the products up to the level of manufacturers.

Besides, sellers of vegan foods should either exclusively or as part of retail merchandise store and display the products in a manner distinguishable from non-vegan foods.

The regulator has also mandated that no vegan food products should be imported except with a certificate issued by the recognised authorities of the exporting countries concerned.

After coming out with the draft regulations for public comments in September 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022 earlier this month.

Also Read | Importance of plant-based collagen for skin health

In recent years, the number of people opting for vegan foods is on the rise.

According to the watchdog, vegan food means the food or food ingredient, including additives, flavourings, enzymes and carriers, or processing aids that are not products of animal origin and in which, at no stage of production and processing, ingredients that are of animal origin have been used.

FSSAI has said that no person can manufacture, pack, sell, offer for sale, market or otherwise distribute or import any food as vegan food unless they comply with the requirements laid down under the regulations.

"The food products to be called vegan, shall not have involved animal testing for any purpose, including safety evaluation, unless provided by any regulatory authority," as per the regulations notified on June 10.

Every packaging material used for vegan foods should comply with the provisions of the packaging regulations. The seller of vegan food, either exclusively or as part of retail merchandise, should store and display such food in a manner distinguishable from non-vegan food. Every package of vegan foods, after the approval, should carry the logo specified by the FSSAI.

Also Read | Plant-based milk products: What you need to know before making the switch

The FSSAI regulations stated that the Food Business Operator (FBO) should ensure that all stages of production, processing and distribution are designed to take the appropriate precautions in conformity with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in such a way to avoid the unintended presence of non-vegan substances.

If the same production line is shared with non-vegan products or ingredients, thorough cleaning or comparable measures in conformity with the GMP should be carried out before production of vegan products commences, it added.

The FBO should take appropriate precautions in conformity with the GMP before vegan products are prepared, produced or packaged.

There shall be traceability established up to the manufacturer level.

The FBO should comply with any other requirements specified by the food authority to maintain the vegan integrity of the foods or food ingredients or products thereof from time to time.