Our bodies require water to function properly. A typical individual requires at least 4 liters of water every day, but with rising water pollution, it is becoming increasingly difficult to trust water cleanliness. The FSSAI (Food Safety Standards Authority of India) recently issued new guidelines for packaged drinking water companies to follow in order to ensure that packaged drinking water on the market is safe to consume.
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Under the new regulations, companies should write “Packaged Drinking Water” rather than “Packaged Natural Drinking Water.” Officials believe that consumers are unlikely to drink natural mineral water. The water should be packaged and marketed under the company’s chosen brand name.
Furthermore, drinking water can be obtained from a variety of sources, including local water supplies, surface water, subsurface water, the sea, or any other reliable source of water, according to recent FSSAI modifications. Manufacturers must, however, complete the measures specified below before putting drinking water on the market. These regulations would ensure that the water generated is absolutely safe to drink and won’t hurt anyone.
The FSSAI’s New Packaged Drinking Water Guidelines are listed below:
Water from any source must go through a standard treatment process, which includes the stages below:
- Decantation is a phrase used to describe the process of separating the liquid from the solid (Process to remove undesired liquid from the precipitate)
- Filtration (the separation of particles from fluids (liquids or gases) by adding a medium through which only the fluid may flow) is a technique used to separate particles from fluids (liquids or gases).
- In conjunction with the filtration system,
- Cartridges for filters (are effective ways of removing sediment and physical contaminants from water)
- Activated carbon filtration is a method of removing impurities from water (a process to remove organic constituents and residual disinfectants from water),
- Aerification (the process of mixing air and liquid), Membrane filtering, and Cartridge filtering are all examples of filtration methods (are effective ways of removing sediment and physical contaminants from water)
- Activated carbon filtration is a method of removing impurities from water (a process to remove organic constituents and residual disinfectants from water).
By establishing that packaged water has been fully cleansed using physical and chemical procedures, it must be absolutely safe. This would show that the amount of bacteria in the water is within the safe eating range.
- Seawater should be desalinated to remove the salt ions.
- The water should be bottled and sealed for consumption after treatment. It should also not be treated any further.
- Only authorized minerals in high-quality grade/pharma water must be used if remineralization is used in the water treatment procedure.
The new recommendations also define the limits of microorganisms found in water, as well as the guidelines for germs that are harmful to humans. Escherichia coli (or RMO tolerant bacteria), yeast and mold, Faecal Streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus, Coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella Typhi, Sulphate Reducing Anaerobes, Salmonella, and Shigella are all among the microbes.
Authorities may conduct surprise audits to check that businesses are following established laws and regulations. After testing, quality inspecting, and validating every ingredient in the packaged drinking water, the FSSAI would issue a valid license. This would convince customers that they could drink the water without worry about the pollution.
Packaging and Labeling Guidelines of the FSSAI:
- Only clean, colorless, sanitary, transparent, and tamper-proof bottles should be used to pack the water.
- The criteria for food-grade plastic bottles should be followed while using packaging bottles.
- For packaging bottles, the colour migration restrictions test must be passed.
- “2.3.3 of FSS (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011: “PACKAGED DRINKING WATER” should be written on the label for ordinary drinking water.
- “2.3.3 of FSS (Packaging & Labeling) Regulations, 2011: “NATURAL MINERAL WATER” should be written on the label for mineral water.
- The following message must be included on every packed bottle: “Crush bottles after use.”
How to Get a State and a Central FSSAI License for Packaged Drinking Water
- Fill out an application form A on the FSSAI Registration website.
- At your local food business operating office, pay the FSSAI application cost.
- The FBO must complete Form B once payment has been received and submitted to the FSSAI website. When filling out the form, different declarations and resolutions will be required.
- Submit your application and follow up with the authorities to see how it’s progressing.