THE PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954
For the good maintenance of health food is very vital for human beings. Every citizen of the country looks ahead to nutritious food, pure and healthy food free from any type of adulteration. It is the responsibility of the department of Prevention of Food Adulteration to implement the PFA act and the PFA rules covered under this act. In order to streamline the food safety laws in the country the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act was enacted by the Government of India in the year 1954. The aim was to give more powers to the system and prevent food adulteration. The Government in the Central also formed some Rules. They are known as the "Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955". Many amendments have been done to these rules from time to time (the last big amendment being effective w.e.f. 19
th March 2009). However the States and
Union Territories are accountable and responsible for the enforcement and implementation of PFA act and PFA rules.
The PFA Act, 1954 focuses on making provisions for the prevention of food adulteration. This Act is applicable to all states and UTs of India and it came into existence on June 1st 1955.
You can address your complaints regarding food adulteration to the Food and Drugs Administration department in your city.
The menace of adulteration had grown to such an extent that Goernment of India was forced to enact this law to check this evil of Food Adulteration and introduced PFA act in the Parliament.
Prior to PFA act 1954 different states had different laws to prevent food adulteration. These laws were not uniform and were passed by different states at different times without joint consultation. In 1937 a Committee was appointed by Central Advisory to Board of Health to review food safety in the country. This committee recommended a uniform laws or central legislation for the whole country. It was then the need for central legislation was felt. ‘Adulteration of food-stuffs and other goods’ was included in the Concurrent List (III) in the Constitution of India. Therefore, it became possible for the Government at the centre to form a single legislation on food safety. This Bill has replaced all the previous laws on food adulteration of different. This bill also applicable to the States where there were no laws earlier on food safeties.
When is Food article adulterated
If it is substituted completely or in parts with any substandard or cheaper ingredient
If abstraction has been done from any ingredient of the food article
The preparation has been done in unhygienic conditions and the food article is packed and kept in unhygienic conditions.
If the food article is prepared from the ingredient obtained from dead animal.
If the article consists in part dirty, perished, decomposed or unhealthy animal or vegetable or is contaminated with insects
When the food stuffs contain any toxic element
If the article has unwanted coloring substance or the coloring substance is in surplus of the approved limits.
If the food material consists of any banned or unwarranted preservatives
Following are the points of contact when the purity and quality of the food stuff falls below prescribed standard
Central Food Laboratory: A laboratory recognized for testing adulterated food. Central food laboratories have been established in Kolkata and
Mysore.
Committee: This is the Committee for Food Standards constituted under section 3; of the PFA act.
Director of the CFL: The Government of India appoints the director of Central Food Lab by notification in the Official Gazette may include any person appointed by the Government of India in like manner to perform all or any of the functions of the Director under this Act:
The person with no financial interest in the manufacturing, imports or sale of any food article must be appointed as a Director under this clause;
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for ensuring safe food to the consumers. Therefore the Health Ministry promulgated "Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954". The key objective of the act is to make sure that the food consumer is getting is safe, healthy, pure and wholesome. It also aims at preventing frauds and deceptions in the food sector. The PFA Act has been amended time to time first in 1964, second time in 1976 and the third time in 1986 with the objective of plugging the loopholes and making the penalties more rigorous and empowering the consumers and other Voluntary Organisations to play an useful role in its execution and implementation.
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Food Quality Control Services: In our country there is a three-tier system in place to make sure that food is safe and of high qualityo.
1. Central Government of
India2. State Governments /UT Governments
3. Local Bodies
The role of Government of India/Central PFA Cell: PFA act or The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act in
India is a Central legislation. Standards and Rules framed under the PFA Act are equivalently applicable all over the country. Apart from framing of rules and standards, the ministry of health and family welfare of
India has undertaken the below listed activities.
1. The ministry keeps a close liaison with all the States or local bodies for uniform implementation of laws of food
2. The ministry is involved in monitoring the activities of the States. It collects periodical reports on working of the laws and regularly gets the reports of food poisoning cases and visits the States from time to time.
3. Ministry is also responsible for arranging periodical training programmes for Senior Officers or Inspectors or Analysts. Government also organizes various exhibitions/seminars/training programmes and publish pamphlet to create awareness of the programmes among the consumers.
4. From time to time the ministry approves labels of Infant Milk Substitute and Infant food, so as to safeguard the health of infants.
5. Ministry also coordinates with international bodies like ISO/FAO/WHO and Codex.
6. Carries out surveys and monitoring activities on food contaminants like colours.
7. It gives administrative/financial/technical support to four Central Food Laboratories located in
Ghaziabad, Kolkata,
Mysore and Pune and provides technical guidance to the food laboratories set up by the States/Local Bodies.
8. Ministry conducts different activities connected with National Monitoring Agency vested with powers to decided policy issues on food irradiation.
9. It is also involved in formulating Manuals of methods of analysis of food
