FSSAI Issues Notices To 55 Edible Oil Manufacturers on the usage of Old Tin Containers

55 producers of edible oil received notifications from FSSAI Gujarat forbidding them from using outdated tins. Nearly all refiners and repackers are among these 55. According to sources, manufacturers have been advised by the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) and FSSAI to use only new for edible oils, but many are still reusing it.

Hazards of using old tin

• Metal leaching: With time, the tin and other metal boxes can leach into food, especially in case of acidic foods and causes metal poisoning.
• Rust and Corrosion: Older boxes might develop corrosion which can contaminate food and causes harmful substances ingestion in body.
• Bacterial contamination: Scratches and dents in older box might lead to foodborne illness.
• Degradation of protecting coating: The protective coating on the box may degrade over time and therefore increase the risk of contamination.

“It has come to our attention that many food business operators (FBOs) involved in the manufacturing, re-labelling, repackaging, trading or any other food handling activities (specifically edible oil) continue to use old tin containers for packaging purposes. This is in the interest of food safety and to prevent potential hazards from metal contact with food,” reads the FSSAI notice. The containers must not be reused for food packing after they have been used, per the guidelines of the Food Safety and Standards (packing) Regulation of 2018. “According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the reuse of container for food packaging is prohibited,” declared H. G. Koshia, commissioner of the Gujarat FDCA.

This decision by FSSAI will help to maintain food safety in the country. Earlier this week, FSSAI mandated bold and big letters labelling of salt, sugar, fat on packaged food items.

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