The order aims to improve food safety and protect consumer interests.
The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department has made it mandatory for sweet manufacturers and sellers to display a “use by date” on sweets kept for sale, with effect from October 15.
The directive chiefly covers loose sweets. Packaged sweets were already required to carry an expiry or use-by date, but there was no such mandatory provision for sweets sold loose over the counter. These found that consumers were often not given clear information on the date of manufacture and the expiry date. The department later clarified that it has not prescribed a uniform shelf life. Food business operators must determine the use period themselves, taking into account the nature of the product, the manufacturing process, the ingredients and storage conditions, and must communicate it clearly to consumers.
In his order, FSDA Commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob noted that shelf life depends on the type of sweet and can range from one to 30 days, with quality, taste and freshness declining over time.
Officials said the decision followed inspections of manufacturing and retail outlets.
The department also reiterated action against the use of industrial chemicals in dairy processing. FSDA inspections found them at several milk units Although ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol were already banned in dairy processing in the state. The use of both substances in milk and milk product processing units has now been prohibited. Both are toxic industrial compounds not permitted in food processing.
With the festive season approaching, sweet manufacturers and retailers have been asked to complete preparations before the October 15 deadline.
