BHUBANESWAR: As Food Safety and Standards Authority’s (FSSAI) guidelines for sweet sellers to display the ‘best before’ and manufacturing date of non-packaged sweets comes into action from Thursday, vendors across the State have opposed the move citing practical challenges and losses incurred during the lockdown period. They have urged the authorities to withdraw the FSSAI order.
The leading association of sweet makers in the State, Utkal Mistanna Byabasayee Samitee, held a meeting of all its members on Thursday for placing their demands before FSSAI officials, Chief Minister’s office, Food Commissioner and the State Health Minister. They will submit a letter to the officials to place their concerns and demands.
According to the association, it is ‘impossible’ for the sellers to mention the date of manufacturing on trays since they prepare a wide variety of sweets.
“It is a traditional business. In Odisha, sweet manufacturers in small towns, who are popularly referred to as ‘Gudia Dokani’, are not educated. They have been making sweets since ages and popular in their own regions,” association’s President Brimbadhar Behera said.
Fearing that the ‘best before’ tag may hamper the region-specific sale of delicacies, the association stated why such retail practice will lead to several challenges.
“Each local delicacy in Odisha has its shelf life and manufacturing practice. If a ‘mithai’ is made at Pahala and sold to a retailer in Rourkela, it will have its own challenges as it is a vast State,” the association stated. They also claimed that the move is a threat to the ‘heritage’ sweets prepared by small shops in different parts of the State.
It has also claimed that Indian Labelling Law allows loose food items such as sweets, milk products, meat, fruits, etc to be kept out of mandatory tagging with ‘date of manufacturing.’
“We don’t have manpower due to the ongoing pandemic to implement the FSSAI guidelines. Moreover, we have faced massive losses due to the pandemic. Our sales have gone down by 20 to 30 per cent,” said Pramod, owner of Bapu Sweets.
Earlier, FSSAI had issued the guidelines on February 26. However, it extended the deadline for its implementation due to the lockdown curbs.