Packaged mineral drinking water now in ‘high-risk food’ category: FSSAI

Why in news?

• Recently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to put all packaged drinking and mineral water in the 'high risk' category.
• This order paves the way for making these products subject to mandatory risk inspection, monitoring and third-party audit for manufacturers.
• Now, manufacturers of packaged drinking water and mineral water will have to undergo risk-based inspection once every year.
  • They will also be inspected before granting license or registration.

High risk food products:

• According to FSSAI, the 'high risk food category' includes products that are contaminated, poorly stored and mismanaged.
• This increases the risk of food-borne diseases.
• Hence such foods require strict regulations and monitoring before use.
• Food products falling under the 'high risk' category are subjected to mandatory risk-based inspection.
• Earlier, FSSAI had classified 8 groups as high risk foods –
  1. Dairy products
  2. Meat
  3. Poultry products
  4. Fish and fish products
  5. Eggs
  6. Prepared foods
  7. All types of Indian sweets
  8. Fortified foods and special nutrition foods

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):

• Established – Year 2008
• Headquarters – New Delhi
• It works under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Its objective is to formulate standards for food items and to regulate the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food items etc.