Many foreign packaged foods flout Indian norms

The next time you reach for an imported packaged food product, look for its significant details on the label: date of manufacture, date of import, best before', use by' or expiry date, list of ingredients (especially, possible allergens and additives), net weight, name and address of the manufacturer and the importer, the helpline number, and, of course, the MRP.Chances are you will find some���but not all���of these mandatory details.
The expanding array of imported food products���from chocolates and candies to cereals, pastas and sauces���has increased the problem of non-uniformity in product labelling. Sri Ram Khanna of Delhi's Consumer Voice says importers must follow labelling requirements under both the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act and Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977. "However, the rules are followed more in the breach than observance."
While official importers say they comply with the laws of the land, consumer organisations TOI spoke to say several products fall short. They may mention the ingredients but in a foreign language, or not carry any important information such as green or red dots to set apart vegetarian products.
Piruz Khambatta, former chairman, CII National Committee on Food Processing, says, "Ultimately, the laws in India should also be applicable to imported products to allow a level playing field (to both domestic and foreign products)."
According to an industry source who does not wish to be identified, products from certain countries mention just the best before date' but not the date of manufacture. According to Ankush Dhanvijay, controller, legal metrology, Maharashtra, importers can mention either the date of manufacture or date of import on a food label.
This, even as PFA rules say the date of manufacture is a must. Says Pritee Shah of Ahmedabad's Consumer Education & Research Centre, "There has to be uniformity and harmonisation of standards... The US FDA website, for example, shows that many of our reputed brands get rejected simply because they do not observe their packaging laws." Hararay Tripathi, senior manager, laboratories, CERC, adds, "The problem arises because there is no global harmonisation of labelling norms."
Consumer organisations insist that buyers must know both the ingredients as well as the age of a product, even if its expiry date is clearly mentioned on the pack. A product may have a long best before' date, but what if it were imported, say, a year after its manufacture? Also, what were its storage conditions? A Mumbai importer, however, insists that an imported food should have at least 60% of its original shelf life at the time of import.
An industry official, who does not wish to be named, admits "the problem arises because our ports are not equipped to handle food consignments which may come in mixed containers. The question is do we have the requisite number of checks at the ports?"
Even as consumer organisations are looking for solutions, consumers are advised to report any product that does not meet the labelling requirements to the FDA or the state health department.