New Delhi, Jan 30 (KNN) The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of staple pins in tea bags by food business operators (FBOs).

In a notification, FSSAI has directed the food business operators to discontinue manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags by June 30, 2019.

The notification comes in the wake of requests being made by FBOs raising the issue of cost involved in changing over staple-less machines and presence of a few manufacturers of such machines globally.

FSSAI said “Blanket extension of further time period for implementation of order dated November 15, 2017 shall not be given to the FBOs.”

However, extension of time may be given on case to case basis based on firm commitment from the FBOs with proper proof to change over within a specified time, it added.

The food authority has also directed the tea bag manufacturing units to submit their plan to change over to new system by procuring the new machines or modifying the existing machines.