## Report on the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021
**1. Executive Summary:**
This report analyzes the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021, as notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This new regulation aims to define and regulate vegan foods manufactured, sold, and imported in India. The core purpose is to establish standards for vegan food, including defining "vegan food," setting requirements for manufacturing and labeling, and outlining compliance procedures. Key findings include the establishment of a vegan logo, requirements for traceability, and the stipulation that vegan foods must not involve animal testing or animal-derived GMOs.
**2. Introduction:**
This report provides an informative overview of the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021, based solely on the text of the official notification. The purpose is to inform the affected industry of the new requirements, obligations, and procedures outlined in this regulation.
**3. Policy Overview:**
* This is a *new* policy, establishing regulations for vegan foods.
* **Core Objective(s):** The primary objectives, as inferred from the text, are:
* To define "vegan food" for regulatory purposes.
* To establish standards for the manufacture, sale, and import of vegan food products in India.
* To ensure the integrity of vegan food products by preventing the inclusion of animal-derived ingredients and animal testing.
* To provide clear labeling guidelines for vegan food products to inform consumers.
**4. Background and Rationale:**
As this is a *new* policy, the likely problem/issue it addresses, inferred from the text, is the lack of a clear regulatory framework for vegan food products in India. This absence could lead to:
* Consumer confusion regarding the authenticity of vegan products.
* Potential mislabeling and fraudulent claims by food manufacturers.
* Difficulties in enforcing food safety standards for vegan products.
* Inconsistent application of standards across the industry. The policy seeks to address these gaps by providing a formal definition, standards, and labeling requirements.
**5. Key Provisions / Changes:**
As a *new* policy, the following are the main components, rules, and actions mandated:
* **Definition of Vegan Food:** The policy defines "Vegan Food" as food that has not made use of any ingredients, additives, or processing aids of animal origin, including milk and milk products, fish, poultry and meat, egg or egg products, honey or honey bee products, materials of insect origin, or ingredients clarified using animal-sourced products.
* **General Requirements:** No person shall manufacture, pack, sell, offer for sale, market, distribute, or import any food as vegan food unless they comply with the regulations.
* **Animal Testing and GMOs:** Vegan food products and ingredients shall not have involved animal testing for safety evaluation and shall not contain any animal-derived GMOs or products prepared using animal-derived genes.
* **Traceability:** Traceability shall be established up to the manufacturer level.
* **Vegan Food Compliance:**
* Food Business Operators (FBOs) must submit an application with details of plant/machinery/premises to the Food Authority.
* Premises will be inspected and verified by a Food Safety Officer or Designated Officer.
* Final product verification for compliance will be done using analytical tools to ascertain the absence of animal origin.
* **Labeling and Display:**
* All vegan foods must comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
* Sellers must store and display vegan food in a manner distinguishable from non-vegan food.
* Vegan food packages must carry a specified vegan logo.
**6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:**
Based on the provided text, the directly affected target audience and stakeholders include:
* Food Business Operators (FBOs) involved in the manufacture, packaging, sale, marketing, distribution, or import of vegan food products.
* Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers responsible for inspecting and verifying compliance.
* Consumers of vegan food products.
* Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
* Registration and licensing authorities.
**7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):**
* **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the primary body responsible for implementing and enforcing these regulations. Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers are involved in inspection and verification.
* **Timelines/Procedures:**
* The regulations were published on September 6, 2021, and were open for objections or suggestions for a period of sixty days from the date of publication.
* FBOs must submit an application with details of their plant, machinery, and premises.
* Inspection and verification of premises will be conducted.
* Analytical testing will be used to verify the absence of animal origin.
* Annual market surveillance will be conducted.
* The concerned registration or licensing authority shall carry out surveillance of the registered establishment at least once in a year.
**8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:**
The likely intended outcomes based on the policy's stated provisions are:
* Clearer definition and regulation of vegan food products in India.
* Enhanced consumer trust in vegan food products through standardized labeling and verification.
* Improved compliance with food safety standards for vegan food products.
* Increased transparency and traceability in the vegan food supply chain.
* Greater availability of authentic vegan food options for consumers.
* Level playing field for FBOs producing and selling vegan food.
**9. Conclusion:**
The Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021, represent a significant step towards establishing a formal regulatory framework for vegan food products in India. By defining vegan food, setting standards for manufacturing and labeling, and outlining compliance procedures, this policy aims to protect consumers, promote fair trade practices, and ensure the integrity of vegan food products. The successful implementation of these regulations will depend on effective enforcement by the FSSAI and active participation from Food Business Operators.
Key Entities Referenced
Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi110064: The location where the document was printed
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India: Statutory body responsible for setting and regulating food standards in India.
New Delhi: Location of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India notification. New Delhi, Delhi
Food Safety and Standards Vegan Foods Regulations, 2021: Proposed regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regarding vegan food products.
Central Government: The government of India, which provides approval for regulations made by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The primary legislation governing food safety and standards in India.
Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India: Position to whom objections or suggestions regarding the draft regulations should be addressed.
FDA Bhavan, Kotla Road, New Delhi110002: Address of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Food Safety and Standards Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020: Regulations specifying the requirements for food packaging and labeling.
ARUN SINGHAL: Chief Executive Officer of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
रजजस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
xxxGIDHxxx
सी.जी.-डी.एxलx.x-GअID.-E0x7xx0 92021-229461
CG-DL-E-07092021-229461
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग III—खण्ड 4
PART III—Section 4
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 371] नई ददल्ली, सोमवार, जसतम्ब र 6, 2021/भाद्र 15, 1943
No. 371] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2021/BHADRA 15, 1943
भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक प्राजधकरण
अजधसचू ना
नई ददल्ली, 6 जसतम्बर, 2021
फा. स.ं मानक/टीएफ-वेगन फूड्स/अजधसूचना/एफएसएसएआई.—खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक (वेगन फूड) जवजनयम,
2021 का जनम् नजलजखत मसौदा, जो खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक अजधजनयम, 2006 (2006 का 34) की धारा 92 की उप-
धारा (2) के खंड (v) द्वारा प्रदत्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, केंद्रीय सरकार के पूवव अनुमोदन से भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा
और मानक प्राजधकरण ने बनाने का प्रस्ट्ताव दकया है, को उि धारा 92 की उपधारा (1) द्वारा यथापेजक्षत उन सभी
व्यजियों की जानकारी के जलए, जजनका उनसे प्रभाजवत होना संभाव्य है, एतद्दवारा प्रकाजित दकया जाता ह ैऔर एतद्दवारा
यह सूचना दी जाती ह ै दक उि प्रारूप जवजनयमों पर, उस जतजथ से साठ ददनों की अवजध समाप्त होने के बाद जवचार दकया
जाएगा, जजस जतजथ को इस अजधसूचना को प्रकाजित करने वाले राजपत्र की प्रजतयााँ जनता को उपलब्ध कराई जाएाँगी।
यदद कोई आक्षेप या सुझाव हो तो उसे मुख्य कायवकारी अजधकारी, भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक प्राजधकरण,
एफडीए भवन, कोटला रोड, नई ददल्ली –110002 को अथवा regulation@fssai.gov.in पर ई-मेल से भेजा जा सकता
ह।ै
आपजत्तयां अथवा सुझाव, जो दकसी भी व्य जि से उ् त प्राुपप जवजनयमों के संबंध में प्रा् त दकए जाएंगे, उपरो् त
जवर्ननददष्ट अवजध की समा जप्त से पहले, खाद्य प्राजधकरण द्वारा उन पर जवचार दकया जाएगा।
4940 GI/2021 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III—SEC.4]
प्रारूप जवजनयम
1. संजक्ष्त नाम और प्रारंभ - (1) इस जवजनयम को खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक (वेगन फूड) जवजनयम, 2021 कहा जा सकता
ह।ै
2. पररभाषा- (1) इन जवजनयमों म,ें जब तक अन्य था संदभ व म ेंअपेजक्षत न हो :
(क) “वेगन फूड से तात् पयव ससे खाद्यों अथवा खाद्य संघटकों से ह ैं जजनमें दग्ु ध और दग्ु ध उत् पाद, मछली, कु् कुट और
मांस, अंडे या अंडे उत् पाद, मधु या मधु म् खी उत् पाद, कीट मूल की सामजियों, जैसे रेिम, रंजक,
काइरटन/काइटोसेन आदद या संघटकों, जजनके िुजिकरण में पिु स्रोत से प्रा् त उत्प ादों का प्रयोग दकया जाता
ह ै उदाहरणाथव चीनी जवरंजन में अजस्ट्थ कोयला, जबयर िुजिकरण में अभ्रक आदद का प्रयोग दकया जाता है,
सजहत पिु मूल के ससे दकसी संघटक, योज् य और प्रसंस्ट् करण सहायकों का प्रयोग नह दकया जाता ह।ै
(2) अन्य सभी िब् द और वा् यांि, जजनका प्रयोग यहां दकया गया ह ै लेदकन पररभाजषत नह दकया गया ह ै परन्त ु
अजधजनयम, या उसके अंतगवत बनाए गए जनयमों या जवजनयमों में पररभाजषत दकया गया है, से वही अथव अजभप्रेत होगा जो
क्रमि: अजधजनयम, जनयमों या जवजनयमों में ददया गया ह।ै
3. सामान्य अपक्षे ाएं -
(1) कोई व्य ज् त वेगन फूड के ुपप में दकसी खाद्य का जवजनमावण, पैक, जवक्रय, जवक्रय के जलए प्रस्ट् तुत, जवपणन या
अन्य प्रकार से जवतरण या आयात नह करेगा जब तक दक इन जवजनयमों के अंतगवत जवजन्दष् ट अपेक्षां का
अनुपालन न दकया जाए।
(2) खाद्य उत्प ादों या संघटकों जजन्ह ें वेगन कहा जाएगा, में अंजतम उत् पाद/संघटक की सुरक्षा का मूल् यांकन करने के
जलए पिु परीक्षण सजम् मजलत नह होगा, और उनमें पिु से प्रा् त कोई जीएम या संघटकों या उत्प ादों के
जवजनमावण के जलए पिु से प्रा् त जीन का प्रयोग करते हुए तैयार दकए गए उत् पाद नह होंगे।
(3) अनुमागीयता जनमावता स्ट्तर तक स्ट्थाजपत की जाएगी और इसमें समय-समय पर खाद्य पदाथों या खाद्य सामिी
या उत्पादों की वेगन अखंडता को बनाए रखने के जलए खाद्य प्राजधकरण द्वारा जनधावररत कोई अन्य
आवश्यकताएं िाजमल होंगी।
(4) सभी वेगन खाद्य/संघटकों के संबंध में अजधजनयम, जनयमों और जवजनयमों के अंतगवत यथा प्रयोज् य संगत
प्रावधानों का अनुपालन दकया जाएगा।
4. वेगन खाद्य अनपु ालन
(1) खाद्य कारोबारी संयंत्र/मिीनरी/पररसरों से संबंजधत सभी आवश्यक जववरणों के साथ प्राजधकरण को एक
आवेदन प्रस्ट्तुत करेगा। पररसरों का जनरीक्षण एवं सत्यापन संबंजधत खाद्य सुरक्षा अजधकारी अथवा अजभजहत
अजधकारी द्वारा दकया जाएगा।
(2) अनुपालन के जलए अंजतम उत्पाद का सत्यापन भी जवश्लेषणात्मक उपकरणों (आणजवक/रासायजनक/दोनों का
संयोजन) के उपयोग द्वारा दकया जाएगा तादक लाइसेंस में वेगन लोगो के समथवन के जलए पिु मूल की
अनुपजस्ट्थजत का पता लगाया जा सके।
(3) खाद्य प्राजधकरण ससे उत्पादों के जलए वेगन लोगो के समथवन और वार्नषक बाजार जनगरानी के जलए ददिा-
जनदिे जन्दष्ट कर सकता ह।ै संबंजधत पंजीकरण या लाइसेंससग प्राजधकरण वषव में कम से कम एक बार पंजीकृत
प्रजतष्ठान की जनगरानी करेगा।
5. लेबसलग और प्रदिवन अपेक्षाएं -[भाग III—खण् ड 4] भारत का राजपत्र : असाधारण 3
(1) सभी वेगन खाद्य पदाथव ऊपर जन्दष्ट लेबसलग अपेक्षां के अलावा खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक (लेबसलग और
प्रदिवन) जवजनयम, 2020 के तहत जन्दष्ट पैकेसजग और लेबसलग अपेक्षां का पालन करेंगे।
(2) वेगन खाद्य के जवक्रेता या तो जविेष रूप से या खुदरा व्यापार के जहस्ट्से के रूप में ससे खाद्य को गैर-वेगन खाद्य
से अलग तरीके से संिहीत और प्रदर्नित करेंगे।
(3) इन जवजनयमों के खंड 4 में जन्दष्ट अनुमोदन के बाद, वेगन खाद्य पदाथों के प्रत्येक पैकेज पर नीचे जन्दष्ट लोगो
होगा:
'हरा' रंग और पत्ती दिावती ह ैदक घटक/उत्पाद वनस्ट् पजत मूल
से संबंजधत ह।ै अक्षर 'V' उत्पाद की पहचान 'वेगन' के रूप में
करता ह।ै
अुपण ससघल, मुख् य कायवकारी अजधकारी
[जवज्ञापन-III/4/असा./235/2021]
FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 6th September, 2021
F. No. Std/TF-Vegan Foods/Notif./FSSAI.—The following draft of Food Safety and Standards
(Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021, which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) propose to make,
with the previous approval of the Central Government in exercise of powers conferred by clause (v) of sub- section (2)
of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, (34 of 2006) is hereby published as required by the said
sub-section (1) of section 92, for the information of persons likely to be affected thereby and notice is hereby given
that the said draft regulations shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of sixty days from the date
on which copies of the Official Gazette in which this notification is published are made available to the public.
Objections or suggestions, if any, may be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India, FDA Bhavan, Kotla Road, New Delhi–110002 or sent on email at
regulation@fssai.gov.in.
The objections or suggestions which may be received from any person with respect to said draft regulations,
before the expiry of the period specified above, shall be considered by the Food Authority.
Draft Regulations
1. Short Title and Commencement - (1) These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards
(Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2021.
2. Definitions- (1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) ―Vegan Food‖ means those foods or food ingredients that have not made use of any ingredients, additives
and processing aids of animal origin including milk and milk products, fish, poultry and meat, egg or egg
products, honey or honey bee products, materials of insect origin like silk, dyes, chitin/chitosan etc or
ingredients that are clarified using animal sourced products e.g., bone char used in sugar bleaching,
isinglass in clarifying beer etc.
(2) All the other words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined in the Act, or rules or
regulations made thereunder shall have the meanings assigned to the same in the Act, rules or regulations respectively.
3. General Requirements-
(1) No person shall manufacture, pack, sell, offer for sale, market or otherwise distribute or import any food
as vegan food unless they comply with the requirements laid down under these regulations.4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III—SEC.4]
(2) The food products or ingredients to be called VEGAN, shall not have involved animal testing for
evaluating the safety of the final product/ingredient; and, shall not contain any animal derived GMOs or
products prepared using animal derived gene for manufacturing the ingredients or products.
(3) Traceability shall be established up to the manufacturer level and shall include any other requirements
prescribed by the Food Authority to maintain the vegan integrity of the foods or food ingredients or
products thereof from time to time.
(4) All vegan foods/ingredients shall comply with the relevant provisions, as applicable under the Act, Rules
and regulations.
4. Vegan food compliance
(1) The Food Business Operator shall submit an application with all necessary details related to
plant/machinery/premises to the Authority. Inspection and verification of the premises shall be done by
concerned Food Safety Officer or Designated Officer.
(2) Verification of the final product for compliance shall also be done by use of analytical tools
(molecular/chemical/combination of both) available to ascertain absence of animal origin for endorsement
of the vegan logo in the license.
(3) The Food Authority may specify guidelines for endorsement of vegan logo and annual market
surveillance for such products. The concerned registration or licensing authority shall carry out
surveillance of the registered establishment at least once in a year.
5. Labelling and display requirements-
(1) All vegan foods shall comply with the packaging and labelling requirements specified under the Food
Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 in addition to the labelling requirements
specified above.
(2) The seller of vegan food either exclusively or as part of retail merchandise shall store and display such
food in a manner distinguishable from non-vegan food.
(3) Every package of vegan foods, after the endorsement as specified in clause 4 of these regulations, shall
carry the logo as specified below:
The ‗Green‘ colour and the leaf depicts that the
ingredient/product is of plant origin. The letter ‗V‘
identifies the product to be as ‗Vegan‘.
ARUN SINGHAL, Chief Executive Officer
[ADVT.-III/4/Exty./235/2021
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.