The USFDA refused entry of 1,150 Indian products between January and June 2015, citing reasons such as misbranding, contamination, and issues with packaging and labeling. The refused products included spices, basmati rice, generic medicines, fried foods, seafood, herbs, and soaps. In response, the Indian government has taken measures like tightening labeling rules, improving pre-export inspections, and increasing standards compliance awareness among exporters.
1. USFDA REFUSAL ON THE ENTRY OF 1,1150 INDIAN
PRODUCTS
GROUP MEMBERS- Alorika Roy
Abhishek Kumar
Abhishek Kushwaha
Barkha Kalani
2. USFDA
UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
(USFDA) -
Responsible for protecting and promoting public health through
regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products,
dietary supplements,
pharmaceutical drugs, cosmetics, animals food etc.
3. An Insight of the news
The USFDA refused the entry of 1150 Indian products
including spices, basmati rice and generic medicines during
January-June period 2015, stating misbranding and alleged
contamination among others.
“According to import refusal report data available on the
USFDA website, 1,1150 refusals of the Indian products were
recorded in the last six months, that is from January to June,
2015,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
4. PRODUCTS THAT WERE REFUSED ENTRY
The products from India which were refused entry
included fried snack foods, bakery products,
spices(ground and mixed), seasonings,
tamarind and other pastes, basmati rice, soft
drinks, shrimps and prawns, harvested fisheries,
herbals and botanicals, generic medicines, bath
soaps and detergents.
5. REASONS FOR REFUSAL OF THE PRODUCT ENTRY
The reasons given for the refusals vary from problems in
packaging, labelling, misbranding, alleged contamination and
residue levels etc,” as said by the Minister.
6. MEASURES TAKEN TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE
The government has taken certain steps that includes:
• Tightening labelling rules and making it mandatory for the
companies to clearly mention the dates of manufacturing,
best before use and expiry.
• Improving pre-export inspection.
• Greater emphasis on standards through sensitisation of
exporters for compliance of regulatory issues through export
promotion agencies.
8. ABOUT NIRMALA SITHARAMAN
Nirmala Sitharaman, born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu in Southern
India. She is presently serving as a Minister of State for Ministry
of Commerce and Industry as well as the Minister of State for
Finance and Corporate Affairs which falls under the Ministry of
Finance by Arun Jaitley.
She even served as the national spokesperson for Bharatiya
Janata Party.
