The meet aimed at pointing out to the FBOs the importance of approaching the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, at the earliest, with regard to licensing and registration - old or new - as the case may be.
The event was co-organised by Kamani Oil Mills, a vegetable oil and specialty fat manufacturer, and Prakash Dall and Flour Mills, a manufacturer of two brands of Super Fine Chana Besan (Balaji and Prabhat).
Mahesh Zagade, commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra, was unable to make it to the meet due to prior commitments, but other state FDA officials such as Dilip Shrirao, joint commissioner, vigilance; K V Sankhe, assistant commissioner, food; K U Methekar, food safety officer; and Suresh Deshmukh, assistant commissioner; and K D Yadav, president, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India), Mumbai chapter, were present at the meet and joined on the dais by an office-bearer of the state snack food body.
Speaking on the occasion, Methekar reiterated the conditions for licensing and registration of food businesses and then the interactive session began, where the officials fielded FBOs' queries.
The Mumbai Mewa Masala Merchants' Association was represented by Karsanbhai, its secretary. The association has filed a case in the Bombay High Court challenging 16 contentious provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, in April 2012, and four hearings of the same have already taken place. The fifth hearing of the case is slated to take place on July 18, 2012.
