New Delhi, July 26 (KNN) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed the Food Business Operators (FBOs) to discontinue to manufacture, store, distribute, sale or import stapled tea bags by January 1, 2018.

FSSAI is mandated to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

At present, there are two types of tea bags available in the market – stapled tea bags and knotted tea bags.

“Use of staple pins in tea bags poses potential hazard to consumers since any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause serious health hazard,” FSSAI said.

Food watchdog thus said in a notification, “Taking cognizance of risk to public safety in using staple pin in tea bags by some FBOs, the FSSAI…directs the concerned FBOs to discontinue manufacture, store, distribute, sale or import stapled tea bags by January 1, 2018.” (KNN Bureau)