As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which of the following mark is made mandatory on all processed fruit products sold in our country?
- (a)FPO
- (b)ISI
- (c)BEE
- (d)HALLMARK
Correct — A, FPO (Fruit Product Order mark). Under India's food-safety regime, all processed fruit and vegetable products — jams, squashes, pickles, ketchup, and similar goods — must carry the FPO mark, certifying that they meet prescribed hygiene and quality standards (rooted in the earlier Fruit Products Order, 1955, now administered within the FSS Act, 2006 framework).
- (b)ISI — The Bureau of Indian Standards mark for general industrial/manufactured goods (e.g. electrical appliances, helmets) — not specific to processed fruit products.
- (c)BEE — The Bureau of Energy Efficiency's star-rating label for the energy efficiency of appliances (ACs, refrigerators) — unrelated to food.
- (d)HALLMARK — The BIS certification for the purity of gold and silver jewellery — unrelated to food products.
India uses different mandatory marks for different product categories: FPO for processed fruit & vegetable products, ISI/BIS for general industrial goods, the BEE star for appliance energy efficiency, and Hallmark for gold/silver purity. Each is administered by a different regulator and certifies a different kind of quality or safety standard.
The trap is picking any 'official-sounding' certification mark — the question is testing which mark is specific to processed fruit products, not general food safety.
- The FPO (Fruit Product Order) mark is mandatory on processed fruit & vegetable products in India
- Rooted in the Fruit Products Order, 1955; now sits within the FSS Act, 2006 regulatory framework
- ISI/BIS mark applies to general industrial products; BEE star to appliance energy efficiency; Hallmark to gold/silver purity
Match the certification mark to the product category it covers.
- Confusing FPO with ISI/Agmark/Hallmark — each mark applies to a different product category
- Assuming any government-style mark works for any product
MPPSC/UPSC test 'which mark is mandatory for X product' — a recurring certification-mark identification pattern.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The 'Agmark' certification in India primarily applies to:
- (a)Agricultural produce (e.g. ghee, honey, spices)
- (b)Processed fruit products
- (c)Electronic appliances
- (d)Gold jewellery
Answer(a) Agricultural produce — Agmark certifies the quality of agricultural commodities.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The BEE star rating label in India indicates:
- (a)Purity of gold
- (b)Energy efficiency of an appliance
- (c)Food safety of a product
- (d)Industrial safety standard
Answer(b) Energy efficiency of an appliance.