Microbial testing must for disposables

Taking a leaf out of China's book on standards for agro-based disposable utensils, the government has decided to tighten regulations for food-serving utensils made from agricultural by-products by making microbial safety testing mandatory for manufacturers, two people aware of the matter said.

- Dhirendra Kumar

The move assumes significance as demand for disposable food-serving utensils at social gatherings has been growing amid environmental concerns sparked by the widespread use of non-biodegradable polythene-based products.

The standards have been prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which works under the ministry of consumer affairs.

The new regulations will apply to both locally-manufactured products and imported consumer goods.