New Delhi, Oct 28 (KNN) Traders should discourage the use of stickers directly on fruits which do not provide any traceability or other regulatory information, the Food Safety & Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) said in a guidance note on Stickers on Fruits & Vegetables.

The note even noted that presence of stickers on them does not guarantee their premium quality.

Use of stickers on food products to provide information on traceability, grades, price etc. is a common practice across the globe. A lot of times, these stickers are applied directly on food surfaces such as on fruits and vegetables.

Apples, kiwis, mangoes, oranges, bananas, pears, bell peppers are some common fruits and vegetables which have stickers applied directly on the surfaces.

However, it is observed that in India, traders use stickers to make their product look premium and sometimes to hide any decay or defect on the product. "Brand Name of Trader" or "Tested OK" or "Best Quality" or "Names of Product" are some common terms mentioned on stickers which do not have any significance, the guidance note pointed.

A wide variety of adhesives are used on these stickers to paste them effectively. Safety of these adhesives is not known. It may contain harmful chemicals which may affect human health.

“We generally remove the stickers from fruits or vegetables and consume them without thinking about residues of adhesive present on them. The risk of consuming these adhesives is high in case of fruits or vegetables consumed with skin. Therefore, it is important to understand the safety of stickers used on food products,” said the guidance note.

On Health effects, the note suggested that the adhesives may contain harmful chemicals which may impact the health of consumers. Studies show that substances such as surfactants used in adhesives are toxic for the reproductive system.

Harmful chemicals present in adhesives may come in direct contact with the food along with stickers and migrate into it. Heat from sunlight on the fresh fruits and vegetables sold in open market may also increase the migration of harmful chemicals from adhesives.

The note suggested that the consumers should check the quality of fruits and vegetables before buying them. Presence of stickers on them does not guarantee their premium quality.

Consumers should remove the stickers properly and peel the skin or cut the area where the sticker was applied, before consuming the fruits and vegetables, it suggested.

FSSAI has asked the traders should use a functional barrier to avoid direct application of stickers on fruits & vegetables. A few fruits can be packed in transparent thin films on which these sticker may be applied.

Traders should discourage the use of stickers directly on fruits which do not provide any traceability or other regulatory information.

As per the provisions in Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006, no food business operator shall store, sell or distribute any article of food which is unsafe, the note pointed. (KNN Bureau)