Introduction
There are many factors you should consider when choosing where to source your food, including the quality of the ingredients, the expertise of the chef, and even whether or not the restaurant is in line with your ethical and moral values. However, there’s one factor that many people overlook: whether or not the restaurant has been inspected by an outside body. Many people assume that local governments always check to make sure that food providers are operating properly, but this isn’t always true. In some countries, it’s up to the food provider to decide if they want to voluntarily ask for approval from an external organization.
FSSAI is the apex body for the formulation and administration of food safety and standards in India. The functions include laying down science-based standards for foods in consonance with internationally accepted parameters which serve as a guide to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import. On other hand, ISSI claimed to be providing scientific advice to the Government of India on nutrition-related issues through research in food sciences, nutrition, and public health. The question arises who can you trust more FSSAI or ISI which one will take better decisions on your diet plan? Let’s try to understand it by comparing both of them.
If a product has been certified by FSSAI, it is safe for consumption. If a product has been certified by ISI, then it is manufactured by HACCP and ISO standards. The certification of a food processing unit by FSSAI states that their products are safe for human consumption. However, according to an FSSAI notification on Standards of Identity of Foods (Amendment) Order, 2014 issued on July 31st, 2014, currently about 437 products have been notified under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 in India. These foods include milk, curd, ghee, butter oil, etc. For these foods, no other certificate is required except FSSAI’s Certificate of Product Safety which is mandatory as per Section 6(3)(b) of PFA Act 1954.
This means, that if you want to sell any one of these above-mentioned items, then you need only FSSAI's Certificate of Product Safety for that particular item. But suppose you want to sell any other food item such as biscuits or snacks or ice cream or pickles etc., apart from having FSSAI's Certificate of Product Safety. In that case, you also need an ISI mark on your product label which shows that your product complies with IS 1338 - 2008 Code of Hygienic Practice for Manufacture & Marketing of Bread & Bakery Products. This indicates that your company is following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
This ensures the safety and quality of your products. So, if you are selling bakery products like bread or cakes or cookies etc., then besides having FSSAI's Certificate of Product Safety, you will also need ISI Mark on your product label. In short, if a product does not have ISI Mark on its package label, it does not mean that it is unsafe for consumption but only that it does not comply with GMP norms and hence may be substandard in terms of quality. So check whether your food item carries both FSSAI's Certificate of Product Safety and ISI Mark before buying them. Also, remember that while buying packaged food items always check the date on which they were packed/manufactured because after the expiry date they become unsafe for consumption due to the growth of microorganisms in them.
As per FSSAI's definition, International Standardization Organization (ISO) is an independent worldwide body concerned with international standardization. It was established in 1947 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. To make sure that all countries follow the same definitions when they adopt international standards to avoid different interpretations; each country has its own National Committee called National Body which represents the country at International Organization for Standardization (ISO). All members of ISO adopt standards developed by International Technical Committee (TC), Subcommittees (SC), Working Groups (WG), Task Forces (TF), Study Groups (SG), Technical Management Board, etc.
As soon as a new standard is adopted by TC or SC or WG etc., it becomes an international standard and all member countries start adopting it within 3 years. After 3 years, it becomes mandatory for all member countries to adopt that particular standard. Once a standard is in force, it remains in force till the next revision of that particular standard. Revision of a standard takes place every 5 years. FSSAI stands for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. It is an autonomous body set up by the Government of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India) to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption to promote public health and provide adequate protection to consumers against unfair trade practices relating to food.
FSSAI regulates food business operators, manufacturers, distributors, and importers through a statutory mechanism i.e. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) and Rules 2007. FSSAI is responsible for the enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 in India. FSSAI has been entrusted with various functions including the establishment of standards for articles of food, laying down conditions for the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, etc., of food articles to ensure that they are safe for human consumption. Apart from these functions, FSSAI is also responsible for monitoring the enforcement of the FSS Act in States/UTs through State/UT Governments.
FSSAI vs ISI
The FSSAI and ISP have a lot in common. They both offer guidelines on food safety and hygiene, they can guide national legislation regarding food safety, and they both enforce standards in laboratories. However, these two organizations do differ quite a bit when it comes to their management methods, practices, policies, rules, and regulations (for example) which is why we decided to take a closer look at them here. Here’s everything you need to know about what separates FSSAI from ISI as well as why you should trust one over another with your food!
Both of these agencies work hard to keep India safe when it comes to its food supply but they go about their jobs differently. For instance, while most of ISI’s activities are voluntary, FSSAI has statutory powers that allow them to implement laws based on its regulatory framework. As you may know, India isn’t alone—many countries face challenges ensuring that foods are safe for consumption, but just because something is standard practice internationally doesn’t mean that it works well everywhere else. So how do other countries approach safeguarding people against unsafe foods?
Difference between FSSAI and ISI in Tabular Form
| Parameters of Comparison | ISI | FSSAI |
| Full form | ISI stands for Indian Standards Institute | FSSAI stands for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India |
| Head Quarters | The headquarters of ISI is situated in New Delhi in FDA Bhawan. | The headquarters of FSSAI is situated in Old Delhi in Manak Bhawan |
| Established | ISI was established in the year 1986 on 23rd December. | FSSAI was established in the year 2006. |
| The objective | The target of ISI is to give the certificate to quality merchandise and to set a norm for good items. | The goal to shape FSSAI was to supply just quality food items in India. |
| Things Covered | The ISI affirmation covers all things made and exchanged in India aside from Food items | FSSAI permit covers generally palatable food things made, exchanged, and imported in India. |
| Administrative Authority | The administrative Authority for ISI in India is the National Standards Body of India | The administrative Authority for FSSAI in India is the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India |
What is FSSAI?
FSSAI stands for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The aims and objectives of FSSAI are to ensure availability, accessibility, acceptability, and adequacy of food; that it is safe for human consumption; that it does not lead to the creation or promotion of any nuisance or hazard to public health. FSSAI oversees standards set by various central government laws, ministerial orders as well as various notifications issued by it in the exercise of its rule-making powers. These include the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) 1954, Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940, Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules (1955), Fruit Products Order 1959, Meat Food Products Order 1967, etc.
What is ISI?
ISI stands for Indian Statistical Institute.
In India, ISIs are responsible for conducting a large part of all quality and safety tests. For example, they regulate national laboratories that test soil, water, and food samples for public health purposes, and make sure products such as textiles meet national standards of quality. They also create many of these standards in consultation with national organizations such as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), etc., and enforce them through various laws. The law and equity have been around since the beginning of time. These two forces exist in our society and affect every single person on earth, whether they realize it or not. Both have a massive impact on how we interact with each other, which people we choose to interact with, and how we decide to live our lives day to day. The law and equity both play an important role in keeping the peace in our society, so let’s take a look at the importance of each one to ensure their proper function moving forward.
Can I join ISI after the 12th?
Students who have completed their 10+2 can apply for Undergraduate programs in all departments in ISI Kolkata. For Postgraduate programs, candidates need to have a Bachelor’s degree (with at least 50% marks) and they must appear for an entrance exam. ISI has tie-ups with schools that offer plus two programs in various subjects, both science and arts streams, across India. Contact your school or visit our website to know more about these schools and their eligibility criteria.
What is the salary of ISI?
As per ISI, they do not provide a salary structure. They offer different compensations on an individual basis. There are three main options to compensate their employees; it is either by a fixed amount of money, monthly, or through a performance-based commission system. The more time you dedicate to your work and more of your skill you can bring in, then obviously you will be receiving higher payments than others who may be trying to follow as closely as possible.
Is ISI a good institute?
Most institutes of higher learning are known for a particular area of study. they offer degrees in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Economics. But what sets us apart is our interdisciplinary approach: Our courses draw equally from science and arts. So whatever you study here, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to pursue your passion — whether it’s teaching or cinema or advertising, or literature. And that’s because our focus is on equipping our students with skills that can be applied in any industry and at any time. All we ask is that you take full advantage of them. After all, India needs your ideas today more than ever before.
The Main Difference Between FSSAI and ISI in Points
- The difference between FSSAI and ISI lies in their levels of control. FSSAI is a government body that regulates food safety in India and ensures businesses are following proper hygiene, labeling, storing, and processing standards.
- Unlike FSSAI, which is responsible for protecting consumers’ health on a national level, international standards-setting bodies like International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are more concerned with standardizing processes to ensure they stay safe while they move from one place to another.
- This means that in theory if you buy some Pakistani meat that has been subject to ISO certification and follows all its instructions then it should be just as safe as if you had bought Indian meat that has also been subject to ISO certification.
- In practice things may not always work out so smoothly. There have been instances where imported products failed to meet local standards or even contained traces of banned substances.
- In such cases, FSSAI steps in and can recall products or even ban imports altogether. In contrast, if an imported product fails to meet ISI standards but doesn't pose any threat to human health then there's no need for action by any other agency because it hasn't broken any laws.
- It's worth noting that both agencies are independent of each other but their areas of expertise overlap quite a bit so sometimes it's hard to tell who's responsible for what. For example, FSSAI has set up National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to test laboratories and accredit them based on ISI standards.
- As you might imagine, NABL tests laboratories based on ISO guidelines and accredits them accordingly. So NABL essentially works towards making sure labs across India comply with ISO norms even though technically speaking it's working under FSSAI's supervision.
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Conclusion
The primary goals of FSSAI and ISI are almost identical. Both groups are meant to ensure that you have food available that is healthy and safe. However, there are some major differences between FSSAI and ISI that you should be aware of before relying on either for your food quality needs. When it comes to dairy products, drugs, medical devices, foods with a short shelf life, or foods meant for human consumption but which might attract insects, FSSAI is your go-to organization. Also, if an imported product requires approval from FSSAI because of certain standards then also you need to contact them directly to get a notification on the necessary permissions needed to export such products out of India or import any new types of food items into India.
