FSSAI reclassifies packaged drinking water as high-risk food category
New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has reclassified packaged drinking water and mineral water as a high-risk food category, enforcing stricter regulatory measures to ensure safety and quality.
This reclassification, effective immediately following an order dated 29 November, mandates annual facility inspections and third-party food safety audits for manufacturers. Central licence holders in this category must comply with enhanced quality standards aimed at mitigating health risks associated with packaged water production.
The move comes after recent amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, which had earlier removed the mandatory BIS certification requirement for certain food products.
According to FSSAI, the reclassification aims to strengthen consumer protection by maintaining rigorous quality control in the packaged water industry.
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Karnataka Health Dept bars leave for staff amid ASHA workers’ strike starting Aug 12
Bengaluru, Aug 11 (PTI): In response to a planned three-day strike by ASHA workers starting August 12, the Karnataka Health Department on Monday issued a notice prohibiting all officers and staff from taking leave during the protest period, except in cases of medical emergencies.
Accredited Social Health Activists workers are demanding the fixed honorarium of Rs 10,000 promised by the state government in January. They have announced a continuous state-level protest from August 12 to 14.
The notice stated, “Information about ASHA workers absent from duty within district limits will be collected daily from primary health centres, compiled at the district level, and submitted to the commissionerate by 3 pm during the protest.”
The Health Department also urged community health officers, primary health protection officers, health inspectors, and Anganwadi workers to cooperate in ensuring that health services to the public remain uninterrupted.
