law: The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 
  16. Duties and
  
  functions of Food Authority. - 
  1.     
  
    It
  
  shall be the duty of the Food Authority to regulate and monitor the
  
  manufacture, processing, distribution, sale and import of food so as to ensure
  
  safe and wholesome food.
  2.     
  
    Without
  
  prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Food Authority may by
  
  regulations specify-
  a.      the standards and
  
  guidelines in relation to articles of food and specifying an appropriate system
  
  for enforcing various standards notified under this Act;
  b.     the limits for use of
  
  food additives, crop contaminants, pesticide residues, residues of veterinary
  
  drugs, heavy metals, processing aids, myco-toxins, antibiotics and
  
  pharmacological active substances and irradiation of food;
  c.      the mechanisms and
  
  guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification
  
  of food safety management systems for food businesses;
  d.     the procedure and the
  
  enforcement of quality control in relation to any article of food imported into
  
  India;
  e.      the procedure and
  
  guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited
  
  laboratories;
  f.      the method of
  
  sampling, analysis and exchange of information among enforcement authorities;
  g.     conduct survey of
  
  enforcement and administration of this Act in the country;
  h.      food labelling
  
  standards including claims on health, nutrition, special dietary uses and food
  
  category systems for foods; and
  i.       the manner in which
  
  and the procedure subject to which risk analysis, risk assessment, risk
  
  communication and risk management shall be undertaken.
  1.     
  
  
  
  
  2.     
  
  
  3.     
  
    The
  
  Food Authority shall also-
  a.      provide scientific
  
  advice and technical support to the Central Government and the State
  
  Governments in matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a
  
  direct or indirect bearing on food safety and nutrition;
  b.     search, collect,
  
  collate, analyse and summarise relevant scientific and technical data
  
  particularly relating to-
                       
  
   i.        
  
    food
  
  consumption and the exposure of individuals to risks related to the consumption
  
  of food;
                      
  
   ii.        
  
    incidence
  
  and prevalence of biological risk;
                     
  
   iii.        
  
    contaminants
  
  in food;
                     
  
   iv.        
  
    residues
  
  of various contaminants;
                      
  
   v.        
  
    identification
  
  of emerging risks; and
                     
  
   vi.        
  
    introduction
  
  of rapid alert system;
  a.     
  
  
  b.     
  
  
  c.      promote, co-ordinate
  
  and issue guidelines for the development of risk assessment methodologies and
  
  monitor and conduct and forward messages on the health and nutritional risks of
  
  food to the Central Government, State Governments and Commissioners of Food
  
  Safety;
  d.     provide scientific
  
  and technical advice and assistance to the Central Government and the State
  
  Governments in implementation of crisis management procedures with regard to
  
  food safety and to draw up a general plan for crisis management and work in
  
  close co-operation with the crisis unit set up by the Central Government in
  
  this regard;
  e.      establish a system of
  
  network of organisations with the aim to facilitate a scientific co-operation
  
  framework by the co-ordination of activities, the exchange of information, the
  
  development and implementation of joint projects, the exchange of expertise and
  
  best practices in the fields within the Food Authority's responsibility;
  f.      provide scientific
  
  and technical assistance to the Central Government and the State Governments
  
  for improving co-operation with international organisations;
  g.     take all such steps
  
  to ensure that the public, consumers, interested parties and all levels of
  
  panchayats receive rapid, reliable, objective and comprehensive information
  
  through appropriate methods and means;
  h.      provide, whether
  
  within or outside their area, training programmes in food safety and standards
  
  for persons who are or intend to become involved in food businesses, whether as
  
  food business operators or employees or otherwise;
  i.       undertake any other
  
  task assigned to it by the Central Government to carry out the objects of this
  
  Act;
  j.       contribute to the
  
  development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and
  
  phyto-sanitary standards;
  k.      contribute, where
  
  relevant and appropriate, to the development of agreement on recognition of the
  
  equivalence of specific food related measures;
  l.       promote co-ordination
  
  of work on food standards undertaken by international governmental and
  
  non-governmental organisations;
  m.    promote consistency
  
  between international technical standards and domestic food standards while
  
  ensuring that the level of protection adopted in the country is not reduced;
  
  and
  n.      promote general
  
  awareness as to food safety and food standards.
  1.     
  
  
  2.     
  
  
  
  
  3.     
  
  
  4.     
  
    The
  
  Food Authority shall make it public without undue delay-
  a.      the opinions of the
  
  Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel immediately after adoption;
  b.     the annual
  
  declarations of interest made by members of the Food Authority, the Chief
  
  Executive Officer, members of the Advisory Committee and members of the
  
  Scientific Committee and Scientific Panel, as well as the declarations of
  
  interest if any, made in relation to items on the agendas of meetings;
  c.      the results of its
  
  scientific studies; and
  d.     the annual report of
  
  its activities.
  1.     
  
  
  2.     
  
  
  
  
  3.     
  
  
  4.     
  
  
  5.     
  
    The
  
  Food Authority may, from time to time give such directions, on matters relating
  
  to food safety and standards, to the Commissioner of Food Safety, who shall be
  
  bound by such directions while exercising his powers under this Act;
  6.     
  
  
  
    The
  
  Food Authority shall not disclose or cause to be disclosed to third parties
  
  confidential information that it receives for which confidential treatment has
  
  been requested and has been acceded, except for information which must be made
  
  public if circumstances so require, in order to protect public health.