Ineffective Legislation Anvita Sinha N N Mehrotra THE main objective of food laws is to ensure that the food articles which the public buys should be prepared, packed and stored under sanitary conditions and with such ingredients and such processes so as not to be injurious to the health of people who consume it. In India, during the pre- independence period the Indian Penal code 1860 was expected to take care of noxious food. Along with this, various states had their own laws to overcome the problem of adulteration of food stuffs. This became a problematic job for implementing authorities since different territories in the country were subject to different laws on the same subject. With a view to removing these diversities and loopholes, a central legislation came into force in the form of Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 (PFA Act). Its rules were framed in 1955 and are known as Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules 1955 (PFA Rules). The main objectives of the PFA Act and Rules are to protect the consumer against ill-health caused by adulteration; to restrict and control the use of food additives and to confirm the nutritional standards of the food. These laws are applicable for both kinds of foods whether manufactured indigenously or imported.
