What is Proprietary Food?
Proprietary foods are ones that are not regulated and may include main components as well as generic additions. These foods' principal ingredients are milk or milk products, carbohydrates with or without a milk base, meat, fish, or eggs, vegetables, fruits, or nuts. As well as from fatty things on occasion. So how does FSSAI’s decision to block category 13 relates to the proprietary food, read further to know.
FSSAI and Proprietary Food
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a statutory organization under the Government of India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, which is a consolidating act related to food safety and regulation in India, formed the FSSAI. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an order exempting Food Category ‘13', which refers to foods meant for specific nutritional purposes, from the definition of proprietary foods. According to the order, FBOs must apply for product approval for Category 13.
Novel foods, special foods for dietary use, foods for therapeutic purposes, functional foods, nutraceuticals, and health supplements are examples of proprietary foods that have not been standardized under the regulations. As a result, if a food item is branded as Proprietary Food, it's safe to presume that the components aren't typical additives or colored in accordance with the FSSAI License Authority's requirements. The product's formulation belongs to the firm that created it. It will also include non-standardized food additives, colors, and components that are safe for humans to consume.
However, the current order states otherwise. The statement says, “Since the FC 13 broadly covers Infant food products and products covered under Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016, therefore, it is inferred that the products covered under all the sub-categories under the Food Category 13, i.e., Foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional shall either have to comply with the standards set out in the respective regulations or have to seek product approval under FSS (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017. Hence, all such products cannot be licensed as Proprietary Foods in any case”.
The FSSAI reasoned that Sub-regulation 2.12 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations), 2011, defines ‘Proprietary Food' as an article of food that has not been standardized under these regulations, but does not include novel foods, foods for special dietary uses, or foods that have not been standardized under these regulations.
The step taken by FSSAI regarding category 13 relating to the proprietary food is an important step towards making sure that food is regulated at an equally implemented rules and regulations. Food safety is an essential requirement and should be considered as the priority especially when human lives and that too infants are concerned. This is a much-needed action by FSSAI in the food industry.
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