Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 for laying down science-based standards for articles of food for ensuring availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption in the country.

The scientific committee and the 21 scientific panels are the principal scientific arms of the food authority in the standard development process. FSSAI has reconstituted 21 scientific panels, each comprising of nine members and the scientific committee comprising of the chair of 21 scientific panels and 6 independent members on 24 February, which are operational with effect from 1 March.

The scientific panels are constituted under Section 13 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) for the purpose of developing standards, and also to provide scientific opinion/inputs to the food authority, as and when sought.

The scientific committee is constituted under Section 14 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) and is a body consisting of six independent experts (nominated by the Food Authority and not belonging to any of the scientific panels) and chairpersons of all the scientific panels, as members. 

Currently, it has a strength of 27 members. The scientific committee, as a statutory body, acts as the link between scientific panels and the Food Authority. The scientific committee examines the recommendations made by each of the panel and further recommends for approval by the Food Authority. This is the highest body that is responsible for providing a scientific opinion to the Food Authority.