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FSSAI relaxes norms for materials used for seasoning pkg till Jan 2018
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Saturday, 09 December, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shraddha Joshi, Mumbai
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s apex food regulator, has decided to allow the food business operators (FBOs) to use the old printing materials for the packaging of seasonings till January 2018. These packaging materials carrying the labelling requirements laid down under the previous regulations.
In August 2017, FSSAI, through a gazette notification, prescribed new standards for seasonings and other products. The new regulations require a specific food product category, seasoning, to be printed on the label in place of the existing food product category, seasoning and condiments (proprietary food).
FSSAI said that it had received a representation requesting the permission to continue the use of the current packaging material for another six months. The last extension was granted in the month of August. However, the apex food regulator asked the FBOs to comply with the new regulations for labelling of seasonings before the end of the deadline.
The apex regulator, in its order, stated that that after due consideration, it has allowed the use of the existing label under proprietary food up to January 31, 2018. And it is mandatory for all the FBOs to comply the standards prescribed for seasoning notified in the gazette.
Notices on salt
Meanwhile, FSSAI has also omitted the potential of hydrogen (pH) value requirement on the label for fortified salt.
In its recently issued notice, it has invited suggestions and comments from the World Trade Organisation (WTO)-Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) committee members relating to the omission of the pH requirement from iron-fortified salt and revising the definition in the Regulation of Restriction on sale of common salt in two months’ time.
Amending the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, the notice notified under the clause Salt, Spices, Condiments and related products under the category of Edible common salt for the food item Iron-fortified iodised salt (double-fortified salt) the mentioned pH value in five per cent aqueous solution should be between 3.5 and 7.5 was proposed to be omitted.
Iron-fortified iodised salt (double-fortified salt) has been defined as a crushed crystalline solid; white, pale, pink or light grey in colour. It added that it should be free from contamination with clay and other extraneous adulterants and impurities. pH is the measurement of a liquid’s level of acidity or alkalinity.
Further, in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011, under Regulation 2.3 related to the Prohibition and Restriction on Sale of Certain Products, the definition of the category of Restriction on sale of common salt has been revised.
The new definition stated, “No person shall sell, or offer or expose for sale, or have in his premises for the purpose of sale, common salt, for direct human consumption or for use as an ingredient in a food product unless the same is iodised, provided that common salt may be sold or exposed for sale or stored for sale for iodisation, iron fortification, animal use, manufacturing medicines and industrial use, under proper label declarations, as specified in Regulation 2.4.5 (21 and 42) of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.”
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