Introduction: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken a significant step towards ensuring the quality and traceability of fortified rice. With the implementation of Fortified Rice Traceability (FoRTrace) application within the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS), the FSSAI aims to streamline processes and enhance transparency in the rice fortification value chain.
Detailed Analysis:
1. Mandate for Traceability: FSSAI, through its order, mandated manufacturers of premix for Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) and Fortified Rice (FR) to upload lab test reports and declaration of iron sources and blending ratios on FoSCoS. This move emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the production process.
2. Conditions of License Compliance: The FSSAI also underscores the necessity for maintaining daily records of production, raw material utilization, and ensuring cleanliness in the manufacturing process. These regulations are crucial for upholding food safety standards and quality control measures.
3. Integration of FoRTrace Application: Recognizing the complexities involved in rice fortification, FSSAI developed the FoRTrace application to address transparency, quality control, and traceability issues. The seamless integration of FoRTrace with FoSCoS provides a centralized platform for stakeholders to record production, raw material utilization, and sales data, facilitating end-to-end traceability.
4. Salient Features: The FoRTrace application offers features such as single sign-in facility, sub-user creation, integration with FSSAI’s INFoLNet portal for lab test reports, and dissemination of sample testing findings. These features enhance accessibility and collaboration among stakeholders, ensuring comprehensive traceability within the fortified rice value chain.
5. Call to Action for States/UTs: FSSAI urges States/UTs to adopt the FoRTrace portal to strengthen the traceability of fortified rice in their respective areas. By instructing Food Business Operators (FBOs) to input procurement, production, and sales data into the FoRTrace portal, States/UTs can enhance quality control measures and ensure consumer safety.
6. User Manuals and Approval: User manuals for accessing the FoRTrace application are readily available on the FoSCoS and FoRTrace portal homepages. This initiative has been undertaken with the approval of the CEO, FSSAI, highlighting the authority’s commitment to promoting food safety and quality assurance.
Conclusion: The implementation of Fortified Rice Traceability reflects FSSAI’s proactive approach towards enhancing food safety standards in India. By integrating technology and regulatory compliance, FSSAI aims to foster transparency, quality control, and traceability in the fortified rice value chain, ultimately ensuring consumer confidence and well-being. States/UTs are encouraged to embrace this initiative to fortify the nation’s food safety framework.
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RCD-02005/4/2023-Regulatory-FSSAI
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(A Statutory Authority established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006)
(Regulatory Compliance Division)
FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi -110002
Food Safety Compliance System [https://foscosfssai.gov.in]
Dated the 8thMarch, 2024
Subject: Implementation of Fortified Rice Traceability [FoRTracej Application within FoSCoS – reg.
FSSAI, vide order no. IEC-34011/1/2021-IEC-FSSAI-Part(6) dated 08.11.2023, mandated that every manufacturer of Premix for FRK and FRK shall upload lab test report of every batch of their production on FoSCoS along with the declaration of the source of iron and the blending ratio.
2. Further, as per the Conditions of License of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, every Manufacturer shall:
Sr. No. 8. Maintain daily records of production, raw materials utilization and sales separately.
Sr. No. 11. Ensure Clean-In-Place systems (wherever necessary) /Or regular cleaning of the machine & equipments.
3. Recognizing the complexities inherent in Rice Fortification, which involve multiple stakeholders and issues related to transparency, quality control, and traceability, a robust IT infrastructure was deemed necessary. To address this need, Fortified Rice Traceability [FoRTrace] application has been seamlessly integrated with the Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS). The application aims to unite diverse stakeholders engaged in Rice Fortification onto a single platform, fostering transparency in record-keeping regarding production, raw material utilization, and sales. This will enable end-to-end traceability within the Rice Fortification value chain. Salient features of this application are as follows:
i. Single sign-in facility into FoRTrace portal through FoSCoS.
ii. Manufacturers of Premix for FRK, FRK and Fortified Rice can create multiple sub-users for entering data.
iii. Integration of FSSAI’s INFoLNet portal for enabling availability of lab test reports on FoRTrace portal.
iv. Dissemination of sample t ting findin o relevant stakeholders.
4. States/ UTs are requested to come forward and adopt FoRTrace portal to enhance the traceability for strengthening the quality of Fortified Rice in their respective area. States/UTs may instruct FBOs in their jurisdiction to feed the data related to procurement, production and sales in the FoRTrace portal and give necessary directions to the concerned Departments / Authorities to procure from those FBOs whose data is available in the FoRTrace portal.
5. The user manuals to access FoRTrace application are provided under the User Manual section of FoSCoS homepage as well as FoRTrace portal homepage.
6. This issues with the approval of CEO, FSSAI.
Yours Sincerely,
(Rakesh Kumar)
Director (RCD)
To,
1. Food Business Operators involved in Manufacturing of FRK, Premix for FRK and Fortified Rice
2. Food Safety Mitra and concerned organizations
3. Commissioners of Food Safety of all States / UTs
Copy for information to:
1. Advisor (QA), FSSAI
2. PS to the CEO, FSSAI.
