Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 4: The J&K Government today banned the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of frozen and chilled meat products that fail to meet statutory standards under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
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The ban was imposed through a prohibitory order issued by Smita Sethi, Commissioner, Food Safety and Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, J&K, citing a “health risk condition” detected across the Union Territory.
The order, issued under Section 30 of the Act, follows extensive inspections by Food Safety Officers, which revealed large quantities of rotten, decomposed, and unlabelled meat products stored and sold in violation of food safety norms.
The seized stocks, the order said, were declared unsafe under Section 3(1)(zz) of the Act and destroyed as per law.
“These articles fall within the meaning of unsafe food, thereby attracting penal consequences under Chapter IX including Section 59,” the order stated.
It added that the seized products lacked mandatory labelling particulars required under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display) Regulations, 2020, such as batch number, manufacturing and expiry date, storage conditions, FSSAI licence number, and non-vegetarian symbol.
Citing Sections 18(1)(f) and 29(3) of the Act, the Commissioner said there were reasonable grounds to suspect a food-related health risk, requiring immediate preventive and public safety measures.
The order reiterated that frozen meat must be stored and transported at -18°C or below, while chilled meat should be maintained between 0-4°C.
It also directed that frozen products must carry the date of freezing and not be sold beyond 12 months.
Storage and transport units must be equipped with calibrated temperature monitoring systems and maintain records for inspection, the order said.
“The inspection findings and statutory provisions establish that a health risk condition exists across the Union Territory requiring immediate preventive action in the interest of public health,” it added.
The ban will remain in force until further orders or until authorities are satisfied that no further health risk exists.
In the order, it has been reiterated that the minimum statutory standards for frozen and chilled meat products must be strictly followed.
Frozen meat and meat products shall be stored and transported at -18°C or below at all stages of storage and distribution. Chilled meat shall be stored at 0-4°C for short-term handling, it stated.
It has also been specified that frozen meat shall carry a “date of freezing” and shall not be sold beyond twelve months from that date.
“Products delivered through e-commerce shall have not less than 30 percent of their total shelf life or 45 days before expiry, whichever is earlier, remaining at the time of delivery.”
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