Vide an order F. No. 12(4)2016/Misc/RCD/FSSAI, dated 22^nd July, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an advisory regarding non-food items that are packed as free toys and gift items with food products stating that such non-food items if swallowed accidentally by children may endanger their health and also their life.

The advisory further stated that “Considering safety of public at large, there is a need to discourage food businesses from providing any toy or gift items inside food packages, especially in the case of food which is likely to be ingested directly by an infant or a small child. Such promotional free toys or gift items may be provided separately or packed separately… The colour, texture and nature of toy or gift item should not at all resemble the food product inside food package.”

The Advisory urges commissioners of food safety of all states to make efforts to create awareness amongst the stakeholders to discourage such practices of packing toys with food products.

As per section 3(1) zz(xi) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, “unsafe food” means an article of food whose nature, substance or quality is so affected as to render it injurious to health by virtue of being misbranded or sub-standard or food containing extraneous matter.

(Source: FSSAI)

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA