India Denied Food Shipments from China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Turkey Due to Safety Issues

This year, India Denied food shipments from countries like China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Turkey due to concerns over safety and quality.

Products including apples, nuts, alcoholic drinks, and sushi did not meet the country’s food safety standards, resulting in their rejection.

Specifically, due to contamination and mold concerns, the FSSAI denied the import of cinnamon flower buds from Sri Lanka and Arecanut from Bangladesh. Tea bags from Japan were also rejected because they included an unapproved plant ingredient, while fresh apples from Turkey were turned away due to their limited shelf life.

Additionally, non-alcoholic beer from China was not accepted for not meeting the required pH levels for alcohol-free products.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has publicly announced these rejections via its newly introduced Food Import Rejection Alert (FIRA) portal. This platform allows for the sharing of information regarding rejected food shipments, enabling quick action by the appropriate authorities to mitigate health risks. FIRA enhances traceability, transparency, and rapid response to potential food safety concerns.

These rejections are a result of India’s three-tier verification process, which encompasses document review, visual examination, and laboratory analysis.

The actions taken by FSSAI are under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017, ensuring that imported food meets Indian safety standards regarding pesticides, heavy metals, and other quality criteria.

India sources food from more than 100 countries, and the stringent food safety regulations enforced by FSSAI help protect consumers from potentially hazardous imports.

To get regular Food Industry updates, feel free to join our WhatsApp group: Joining link