IMPHAL, February 27: As per an order issued by Ram Muivah, Principal Secretary (Health &Family Welfare) and Commissioner Food Safety of Health Department, Manipur on February 2, a ban has been imposed on four packaged food items coming in to the state from Myanmar.
The ban is per the the provisions of Section 23 and 25 of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011 and has listed Mikko Nutritious Cereal (High Calcium)-25 g, Mikko (3 in 1 instant Coffeemix), Snacks (Bakery items) and Milk and Milk Product and Pickles/Achar items (fruits &fishes), etc as the said ietms are reportedly imported without labelling and import license. The said items also do not indicate the name of the manufacturer, batch number or the date of expiry which is mandatory in India.
Mention may be made that as per section 23 of the Food Safety and standards Act, 2006; no person can manufacture, distribute, sell or expose for sale or dispatch or deliver to any agent or broker for the purpose of sale, any packaged food products which are not marked and labeled in the manner as may be specified by regulations.
As per regulation No. 22, labelling of the food safety need to carry the information on the label: the name of food including the trade name or description of food contained in the package and the list of ingredients, names of ingredients used in the product in descending order of their composition by weight or volume, as the case may be, at the time of manufacture etc.
As per section 25 of the food safety and standards Act, 2006, no person can import into India any unsafe or misbranded or sub-standard food or food containing extraneous matter, any article of food for the import of which a license is required under any Act or Rules or regulations, except in accordance with the conditions of the license; any article of food in contravention of any other provision of this Act or any rule or regulation made there under or any other Act.
Most food items being brought in from Myanmar do have labels but are written in a looping script that is not understood by people of Manipur.