Difference between FSSAI and FDA
Key Difference: FSSAI stands for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, whereas FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration. The most significant difference between the two is the fact that the FDA is an agency that operates in the United States of America, whereas the FSSAI operates in India.
Food is a primary part of our lives. We need it to survive. But unlike in the older days, where humans had to search for or produce their own food, these days food is readily available to be bought from stores. These foods go from production to processing, packaging, transport, etc. In the end, the food have been modified and transported so much and one cannot really know for sure where their food is coming from, or worse what is actually in it after being processed.
This is where the FSSAI and FDA come in. These two are types of government agencies whose job it is to protect the foods and to maintain quality of food, which in turn protects people’s safety.
These regulatory agencies were put into place to ensure that the food being sold in the market is safe and healthy to consume, and that there would be no negative consequences on the health of the general public. They are also responsible for making sure that the foods are produced and manufactured in a safe manner and that no negative things are added to the foods during productions. They set certain standards that must be met by all food producers and manufacturers.
While FSSAI and FDA serve primarily the same purpose, they do have certain significant differences. Firstly, the FSSAI stands for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, whereas FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration. Another difference is that the FDA is much older than the FDA. The FDA was formed on June 30, 1906, whereas the FSSAI was formed much later in August 2011.
However, the most significant difference between the two is the fact that the FDA is an agency that operates in the United States of America, whereas the FSSAI operates in India. The FDA is also much bigger than the FSSAI with numerous agencies under it, such as Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and so many more. The FSSAI, on the hand, has not grown enough yet to have agencies under it.
In its own world, “The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.”
The FSSAI was set up as a multi regulatory agency on oversee the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food products and to ensure that the food is safe for human consumption. Before the FSSAI was set up, there were numerous agencies and department that were supposed to oversee different aspects of food production, transport, safety, etc. However, these were often stuck in bureaucratic hurdles when interacting with each other. Hence, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was passed which consolidated all these services into one and set up the FSSAI.
Products and companies that do not meet the regulations set by the FSSAI or FDA respectively can be often be fined and if they refuse to confirm, can be banned from selling their products in the market. Products and companies that do meet their regulations often come with a label saying “FSSAI approved” or “FDA approved” respectively.
Comparison between FSSAI and FDA:
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FSSAI |
FDA |
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Stand for |
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) |
Food and Drug Administration |
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Region |
India |
United States of America |
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Formed |
August 2011 |
June 30, 1906 |
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Parent Company |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India |
Department of Health and Human Services |
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Children Agencies |
N/A |
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Center for Devices and Radiological Health Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Center for Tobacco Products Center for Veterinary Medicine National Center for Toxicological Research Office of Criminal Investigations Office of Regulatory Affairs |
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Jurisdiction |
Government of India |
Federal government of the United States |
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Purpose |
Public Safety and Health |
Public Safety and Health |
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Duties |
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Reference: FSSAI, FDA, Wikipedia (FSSAI and FDA) Image Courtesy: fssai.gov.in, Pulse.ng
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