law: The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 
  Chapter III General
  
  Principles of Food Safety
  18. General
  
  principles to be followed in administration of Act. - 
  1.     
  
    The
  
  Central Government, the State Governments, the Food Authority and other
  
  agencies, as the case may be, while implementing the provisions of this Act
  
  shall be guided by the following principles, namely :-
  a.      endeavour to achieve
  
  an appropriate level of protection of human life and health and the protection
  
  of consumers' interests, including fair practices in all kinds of food trade
  
  with reference to food safety standards and practices;
  b.     carry out risk
  
  management which shall include taking into account the results of risk
  
  assessment, and other factors which in the opinion of the Food Authority are
  
  relevant to the matter under consideration and where the conditions are
  
  relevant, in order to achieve the general objectives of regulations;
  c.      where in any specific
  
  circumstances, on the basis of assessment of available information, the
  
  possibility of harmful effects on health is identified but scientific uncertainty
  
  persists, provisional risk management measures necessary to ensure appropriate
  
  level of health protection may be adopted, pending further scientific
  
  information for a more comprehensive risk assessment;
  d.     the measures adopted
  
  on the basis of clause (c) shall be proportionate and no more restrictive of
  
  trade than is required to achieve appropriate level of health protection,
  
  regard being had to technical and economic feasibility and other factors
  
  regarded as reasonable and proper in the matter under consideration;
  e.      the measures adopted
  
  shall be reviewed within a reasonable period of time, depending on the nature
  
  of the risk to life or health being identified and the type of scientific
  
  information needed to clarify the scientific uncertainty and to conduct a more
  
  comprehensive risk assessment;
  f.      in cases where there
  
  are reasonable grounds to suspect that a food may present a risk for human
  
  health, then, depending on the nature, seriousness and extent of that risk, the
  
  Food Authority and the Commissioner of Food Safety shall take appropriate steps
  
  to inform the general public of the nature of the risk to health, identifying
  
  to the fullest extent possible the food or type of food, the risk that it may
  
  present, and the measures which are taken or about to be taken to prevent,
  
  reduce or eliminate that risk; and
  g.     where any food which
  
  fails to comply with food safety requirements is part of a batch, lot or
  
  consignment of food of the same class or description, it shall be presumed
  
  until the contrary is proved, that all of the food in that batch, lot or
  
  consignment fails to comply with those requirements.
  1.     
  
  
  2.     
  
    The
  
  Food Authority shall, while framing regulations or specifying standards under
  
  this Act-
  a.      take into account-
                       
  
   i.        
  
    prevalent
  
  practices and conditions in the country including agricultural practices and
  
  handling, storage and transport conditions; and
                      
  
   ii.        
  
    international
  
  standards and practices, where international standards or practices exist or
  
  are in the process of being formulated, unless it is of opinion that taking
  
  into account of such prevalent practices and conditions or international
  
  standards or practices or any particular part thereof would not be an effective
  
  or appropriate means for securing the objectives of such regulations or where
  
  there is a scientific justification or where they would result in a different
  
  level of protection from the one determined as appropriate in the country;
  a.    
  
  
  b.     determine food
  
  standards on the basis of risk analysis except where it is of opinion that such
  
  analysis is not appropriate to the circumstances or the nature of the case;
  c.      undertake risk
  
  assessment based on the available scientific evidence and in an independent,
  
  objective and transparent manner;
  d.     ensure that there is
  
  open and transparent public consultation, directly or through representative
  
  bodies including all levels of panchayats, during the preparation, evaluation
  
  and revision of regulations, except where it is of opinion that there is an
  
  urgency concerning food safety or public health to make or amend the
  
  regulations in which case such consultation may be dispensed with: Provided
  
  that such regulations shall be in force for not more than six months;
  e.      ensure protection of
  
  the interests of consumers and shall provide a basis for consumers to make
  
  informed choices in relation to the foods they consume;
  f.      ensure prevention of-
                       
  
   i.        
  
    fraudulent,
  
  deceptive or unfair trade practices which may mislead or harm the consumer; and
  
  
                      
  
   ii.        
  
    unsafe
  
  or contaminated or sub-standard food.
  3.     
  
    The
  
  provisions of this Act shall not apply to any farmer or fisherman or farming
  
  operations or crops or livestock or aquaculture, and supplies used or produced
  
  in farming or products of crops produced by a farmer at farm level or a
  
  fisherman in his operations.