Stories
UP Bans Repackaging Trick: Actual Manufacturing Date Now Mandatory on Food Labels
- •Uttar Pradesh now requires food businesses to clearly state the actual manufacturing or processing date on packaged food products, preventing older items from appearing new due to repacking.
- •The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) issued the directive after inspections revealed units storing products for extended periods and then repacking them with only the packing date on labels.
- •The new rule mandates that the manufacturing date on labels must reflect the original production date, not a later repacking date, as shelf life is calculated from the actual manufacturing date.
- •Authorities also noted concerns about older food products being used as ingredients, with misleading packing dates making it difficult to track ingredient storage times.
- •FSDA Commissioner Roshan Jacob stated this measure, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will enhance accountability and traceability in the food supply chain, benefiting consumer health and safety.
Key Questions Answered
Food businesses in Uttar Pradesh must now clearly state the actual manufacturing or processing date on packaged products rather than using a later repacking date. This measure prevents older items from appearing newer and ensures better traceability and accountability across the supply chain.
Authorities found that extended storage items were being repacked into smaller consumer packs using the packing date, which obscured how long the products or ingredients had actually been stored. This practice risked consumer health and food safety by hiding true product age.
The new guidelines were issued by the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), with FSDA Commissioner Roshan Jacob stating that the initiative strengthens accountability and consumer protection across the supply chain.
