FSSAI bans use of stapled tea bags

India's food regulator has asked the tea bag manufacturers not to use staple pins in the tea bags as loose staple could be a potential health hazard to consumers.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has asked the industry to discontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of stapled tea bags from January 1. 2018, the FSSAI said in an order.

At present, there are two types of tea bags available in the market like stapled tea bags and knotted tea bags. Use of stapled pins in tea bags poses potential hazard to consumers since any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause serious health hazard, according to the order issued earlier this month.

The regulator has also defined the tea bags in its Tea (Marketing) Control order 2003.

Tea bag is defined as packet containing tea in bags made of filter paper, nylon net and any other acceptable material conforming to international norms and standards for brewing of tea liquor by direct immersion of such bags in hot or cold water.

Majority of tea bags being sold in the market use staple pins. Tea bags are among the fastest growing segments in the tea business.