Prohibition of selling of Health Supplement containing PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid) a banned ingredient - Customs - Instruction No.16/2020

Instruction No.16/2020-Customs F.No.401/21/2020-Cus.lll Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Central Board of Indirect Taxes Customs (Single Window Project) Room No. 229, North Block, New Delhi Dated: 24.07.2020 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)/FSSAl-2017 (Pt.I) 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 Any product containing such ingredient which is already manufactured/ imported shall be withdrawn from the market immediately.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 Lal Meena) Deputy Commissioner, Single Window Project,Cus.lll