New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on food safety on September 24 at FSSAI Headquarters in New Delhi.
As per a PIB release, the MoU was signed by Rajit Punhani, CEO of FSSAI, and Tom Black, First Assistant Secretary, DAFF, Australia.
The agreement marks a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between India and Australia, reflecting their shared commitment to enhancing food safety standards.
Under the MoU, both countries will strengthen collaboration through knowledge sharing, adoption of best practices, harmonisation of import procedures, technical cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives. Both sides expressed confidence that the agreement will foster stronger institutional ties and advance food safety standards in both nations.
FSSAI, established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, consolidates various laws previously overseen by multiple ministries and departments. The authority sets science-based standards for food articles and regulates their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for consumers.
In a related development, on September 25, FSSAI launched a dedicated licensing and registration window for Ayurveda Aahara products on its Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal. This initiative will allow manufacturers across India to seamlessly apply for licenses to produce and market traditional Ayurvedic foods.
The new ‘Kind of Business’ (KoB) framework for Ayurveda Aahara is designed to formalise and streamline the sector, aligning traditional recipes from authoritative Ayurveda texts with modern food safety and quality standards. This move is expected to boost both the food and Ayurveda industries by creating a regulated pathway for these products to reach the market.
