Food Safety and Standards Act - PRS

Generalp rinci pl esbe followed inadrninistrat~onof Act.(7) No act or proceedings of the Food Authority shall be questioned or invalidatedmerely on the ground of existence of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the FoodAuthority .CHAPTER 111GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SAFI:TY 518. The Central Government. the Sta!e Governments, the Food Authoritv and otheragencies, as the case may be, while implementing the provisions ofthis Act shall be guidedby the following principles, namely :-(1) (4) endeavour to achieve an appropriate level of protection of human lifeand health and the protection of consumers' interests, including fair practices in all I bkind of food trade with reference to food safety standard and practices;(h) carry out risk management which shall include taking into account the resultsof risk assessment, and other factors which in the opinion of the Food Authority arerelevant to the matter under consideration where the conditions are relevant, in orderto achieve. the general objectives of regulations ;iT(c) where in ar?y soecitlc circumstances, on the basis of assessment of availableinformation, the possib~lity of harn~ful effects on health is identified but scientificuncertainty persists, provisional risk management measures necessary to ensureappropriate level of health protection may be adopted, pending further scientificiriormation for a niore comprehensive risk assessment ;2 a(4 the measures adopted on the basis of clause & shall be proportionate andno more restrictive of trade than is required to achieve appropriate level of healthprotection, regard being had to technical and economic feasibility and other factorsregarded as reasonable a!~d proper in the matter under consideration :(e) the measures adopted shall be reviewed within a reasonable period of time, a 9depending on the nature of the risk to life or health being identified and the type ofscientific infonnation needed to clarify the scientific uncertainty and ta conduct amore comprehensive risk assessment ;CI) in cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect rhat a food maypresent a risk for human health, then, depending on the nature, seriousness and extent 30of that risk, the Food Authority and the Commissioner of Food Safety shall takeappropriate steps to inform the general public of the nahlre of the risk to health,identifying to the hllest extent possible the food or type of food, the risk that it maypresent, and the measures which are taken or about to be taken to prevent, reduce oreliminate that risk; and35(g) Where any food which fails to comply with food safety requirements is partof a batch, lot or consignment of food of the same class or description, it shall bepresumed until the contrary is proved, that all of the food in that batch, lot orconsignment fails to comply with those requirements.(2) The Food Authority shall, while framing regulations or specifying standards 00under this Act-(a) take into accounc-(i) prevalent practices and conditions in the country including agriculturalpractices and handling, storage and transport conditions; and(ii) international standards and practices, where international standards 4 Sor practices exist or are in the process ~f being formulated,unless it is of opinion that taking into account of such prevalent practices andconditions or international standards or practices or any particular part thereof would