J&K Government Imposes Ban on Unsafe Frozen and Chilled Meat Products Amid Public Health Concerns
SRINAGAR, Oct 4: In a decisive move to safeguard public health, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has imposed an immediate ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of frozen and chilled meat products found to be in violation of statutory food safety standards. The sweeping order, issued by Smita Sethi, Commissioner of Food Safety and Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, J&K, was enacted under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, following alarming findings during large-scale inspections across the Union Territory.
The inspections carried out by Food Safety Officers revealed disturbing violations, including the storage and sale of decomposed, rotten, unlabelled, and misbranded meat products. Many of these items lacked essential labelling information such as batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, storage instructions, FSSAI licence details, and the mandatory non-vegetarian symbol. As per the Commissioner’s order, such products were declared “unsafe” under Section 3(1)(zz) of the Act and destroyed in accordance with the law. “These articles clearly fall under the category of unsafe food, attracting strict penal consequences under Chapter IX, including Section 59 of the Act,” the order stated.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Commissioner noted that the violations posed a “food-related health risk condition” across Jammu and Kashmir, necessitating immediate preventive action under Sections 18(1)(f) and 29(3) of the Act. The order reiterated that frozen meat and meat products must be stored and transported at or below -18°C throughout the supply chain, while chilled meat must be maintained strictly between 0-4°C for short-term handling. Furthermore, all frozen products are required to display the date of freezing and must not be sold beyond twelve months from that date.
The order further mandated that storage and transportation facilities handling meat products must be equipped with calibrated temperature monitoring devices and maintain detailed records for inspection. In addition, products supplied through e-commerce platforms must have at least 30 percent of their total shelf life or a minimum of 45 days before expiry, whichever is earlier,remaining at the time of delivery to consumers.
The Commissioner’s order warned that non-compliance with these statutory requirements will invite stringent legal action, including prosecution and penalties. It emphasized that the existing health risk condition across the Union Territory required urgent intervention to prevent potential outbreaks of food-borne illnesses and safeguard consumer safety.
The ban will remain in force until further notice or until authorities determine that the health risk has been adequately mitigated. Authorities have also reiterated that strict adherence to minimum statutory standards for frozen and chilled meat products is non-negotiable and that continuous monitoring will be carried out to ensure compliance.
This sweeping action underscores the government’s zero-tolerance approach to food safety violations and its commitment to protecting public health. It also serves as a stern warning to all stakeholders in the meat supply chain from manufacturers and distributors to retailers and online platforms to ensure strict compliance with food safety norms or face legal consequences.
