Srinagar, Aug 21: In a significant step to strengthen food safety, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has directed all food businesses to strictly comply with FSSAI guidelines on handling, packaging, labeling, and sale of frozen raw meat, chicken, and related products.
The directive, issued by Commissioner of Food & Drug Administration (FDA), J&K, Smita Sethi, makes it mandatory for manufacturers, processors, retailers, wholesalers, cold storage units, transporters, and e-commerce platforms to follow the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and allied regulations.
The notice prohibits the sale of any frozen meat products without proper packaging and labeling. Each package must display the product name, ingredients, batch/lot number, manufacturing date, expiry date, storage conditions, manufacturer/importer details, and FSSAI license number with logo, along with the non-vegetarian symbol.
Temperature and Storage Rules
“Fresh meat” must be sold immediately after slaughter, “chilled meat” can be stored at 0°C to 4°C for four days, while “frozen meat” must be stored at -18°C or lower and consumed within 12 months. Businesses must install calibrated temperature monitoring systems and maintain records for inspection.
E-commerce platforms have been directed to ensure products have at least 30% shelf life or 45 days before expiry at the time of delivery. They must also display actual product images, key information, and ensure food-grade packaging.
Strict action will follow any violation. Penalties range from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh for issues like insanitary conditions, mislabeling, or operating without FSSAI license/registration. Selling unsafe food may attract up to six years imprisonment and ₹5 lakh fine.
Call for Immediate Compliance
The FDA Commissioner has urged all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to upgrade operations and withdraw non-compliant products from shelves and online platforms, warning that legal action will follow without further notice.
