Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Revenue

Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs

(Single Window Project)

To,

All Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs/ Customs (Preventive)

All Principal Chief Commissioners/Chief Commissioners of Customs & Central Taxes, GST All Principal Commissioners/ Commissioners of Customs/ Customs (Preventive)

All Principal Commissioners/Commissioners of Customs & Central Taxes, GST

Subject: Prohibition of selling of Health Supplement containing PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid) a banned ingredient - Reg.

Madam/Sir,

Kind attention is drawn to the advisory dated 16.07.2020 on the mentioned subject issued vide File No.4(12) 2017/ Gujarat/RCD/FSSAI by the Joint Director (RCD), Food Safety & Standard Authority of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Regulatory Compliance Division enclosing FSSAI Order No. Stds/Nutr(DGCI)/FSSAI-2017 (Pt.l) dated 29-06-2018 (copy enclosed).The operative para 2 of the advisory is reiterated below for ease of reference:

"2. FSSAI vide Order No. Stds/Nutr(DGCI)/FSSAI-2017 (Pt. I) dated 29-06-2018 (copy enclosed) has banned the use of PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid) in the products covered under Nutraceuticals Regulations due to safety concerns with immediate effect. Para No. 2 (c) of the said order also directs the FBOs that no further manufacturing of products using this ingredient is allowed. Any product containing such ingredient which is already manufactured/ imported shall be withdrawn from the market immediately. However, it has come to the notice that several health supplements and nutraceutical products containing PABA are still being sold on e-commerce platform."

2. The advisory has been issued with a request to circulate Order dated 29-06-2018 to all Customs Officials working as Authorized Officers to comply and to ensure that imported products containing banned ingredient shall not be cleared through their respective point of entries.

3. Suitable instruction may be issued for mandatory compliance by the departmental officers and the trade.

4. Any issues faced in implementation of this instruction may be brought to the notice of the

Board.

Encls: As above

(Babu Lai Meena)

Deputy Commissioner,

Single Window Project,Cus.Ill

F. No. 4(12)2017/Gujarat/RCD/FSSAI

Food Safety & Standard Authority of India

(A Statutory Authority Established under Food Safety & Standard Act, 2006)

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Regulatory Compliance Division

*******

Advisory

Subject: Advisory for prohibiting sell of Health Supplement contains PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid) a banned ingredient-regd.

Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under FSS Act, 2006 for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

2. FSSAI vide Order No. Stds/Nutr(DGCI)/FSSAI-2017(Pt.1) dated 29-06-2018 (copy enclosed) has banned the use of PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid) in the products covered under Nutraceutical Regulations due to safety concerns with immediate effect. Para No. 2 (c) of the said order also directs the FBOs that no further manufacturing of products using this ingredient is allowed. Any product containing such ingredient which is already manufactured / imported shall be withdrawn from the market immediately. However, it has come to notice that several health supplements and nutraceutical products containing PABA are still being sold on e-commerce platform.

3. All e-Commerce FBOs are advised to de-list /remove such products which contain PABA or anv prohibited ingredients bv FSSAI immediately from their website.

4. This issues with the approval of Competent Authority.

(Parveen Jargar)

Joint Director (RCD)

Tel: 01123231679