Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano- based Agri-input and food products

Central Government has released ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano- based Agri-input and food products in India with following objectives:-

• To help researchers in developing products for agriculture and human consumption.
• To help regulators in assessing quality and safety of nano-based agriculture and food products.
• To encourage Indian innovators and industries for developing new nano-based formulations and products in these sectors.
• These guidelines will apply to Nano-Agri-Input Products (NAIPs), Nano-Agri Products (NAPs) and nano-composites, sensors made from nano-materials that require direct contact with crops, food and feed for data acquisitions.
• They do not apply to the conventional products or formulations with incidental presence of natural nano-materials.

As per the guidelines:

• Safety, efficacy, functionality, toxicity and other quality data for proposed NAIPs and NAPs should be conducted under:-
  • Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Insecticides Act 1968,
  • Food and Drug Administration guidelines, Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,
  • Cattle Feed (Regulation of Manufacture and Sale) Order, 2009
  • Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Implementation of standards should be conducted as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).