FSSAI Operationalises the Revised Standards for Honey

Through a notification published on 29 October 2019 the FSSAI has operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations 2019 related to the revision of standards for honey.

FSSAI framed the draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2019 related to the revision of standards of Honey with regard to parameters for Pollen count, Specific marker for Rice Syrup (SMR), Trace marker for Rice Syrup (TMR) and Foreign oligosaccharides.

The FSSAI has stated that the draft regulations are in the process of being notified and the process of draft notification, consideration of comments if any that may be received thereon, and the finalization of these regulations are likely to take some time. Meanwhile, to address the issue of the Food Business Operators to comply with the present standards of honey with respect to the parameters mentioned above, the FSSAI has decided to operationalize these regulations with immediate effect.

The revised standards for honey that have been operationalized for honey are as follows.

Notice for operationalization of draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2019

1. These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2019.
2. In the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, under regulation 2.8 “Sweetening Agents including Honey”, in sub-regulation 2.8.3 relating to Honey and its by-products, the limits for pollen count was given as 25000 but the parameter for pollen has been amended to the following limits.

12.

Pollen count and plant elements/g, Min.

5000

The parameters for the following have been omitted in the revised amendment.

13. Specific marker for Rice Syrup (SMR)
14. Trace marker for Rice Syrup (TMR)
15. Foreign oligosaccharides

Download the Direction dated 29th October 2019

FSSAI Advisory on Labelling Defects of Health Supplements and Nutraceutical Products

Through an advisory dated 18 September 2019, the FSSAI has drawn attention to certain labelling defects on packaging of Health Supplements and Nutraceutical products. The advisory has been sent so that both food manufacturers as well as FSSAI officials can keep a check to ensure that the labelling is accurate.

The FSSAI has received reports that some food products including Nutraceuticals and Health Supplements products that have gelatine/gelatin shells or which contain ingredients of animal origin are depicting a green dot on their labels. The green dot logo is a mark that declares these products as vegetarian products. Therefore, marking such products as vegetarian is in contravention of the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations 2011, which mandates application of the veg/no-veg logo on pre-packed food products according to their contents. The above-mentioned labelling shall therefore, be considered as misbranding and labelling defects.

It may be noted that all the food products falling under the category of Nutraceutical/Health Supplement shall have to comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceutical, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016 as well as the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2011, failing which they will attract penal provisions under FSS Act, 2006.

In view of the above the FSSAI has requested Commissioners of Food Safety of all States/ UTs, FSSAI Authorised Officers and the Central Licensing Authority to initiate enforcement drives so as to keep a check on the sale of such food products in all states and which are in contravention with FSS (Packaging and Labelling) Regulation, 2011. They have also been advised to initiate appropriate action against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per the provisions laid down under FSS Act,2006, and Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

FSSAI makes it mandatory for Food Safety Audit of Food Business falling under high risk category.

Order dated 13th August 2019 relating to Mandating food safety audit of Food Businesses holding Central License and falling under high risk categories of food businesses under the Food Safety and 
Standards (Food Safety Auiditing) Regulations, 2018 
[Updated on:09-09-2019

Download the Order dated 13.8.2019

New FSSAI bamboo guidelines bring clarity on use in spoons, fork, cups

Wednesday, 11 September 2019, 08: 00 AM [IST]

Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi

The apex food regulator, FSSAI, has issued guidelines for using bamboo as food contact material, these need to be followed in manufacturing, handling and using of bamboo items such as spoons, fork, knife, straw, stirrer, and cups.

The advisory issued by FSSAI says that the Scientific Committee on Food Additive, Processing Aids and Material in Contact with Foods and Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards have examined the safety aspects of the food contact material manufactured from bamboo and observed that there is no reported literature available regarding contamination of food from use of such utensils made from bamboo.

The advisory states, “Their use as food contact materials if manufactured and maintained under hygienic conditions are safe.”

The guidelines say that the final products manufactured from bamboo shall comply with the minimum requirement such as the tools should have a smooth surface free from dirt, off-odor and coloration, free from chemical contaminants and microbial pathogens. They must be durable and reusable having a good shelf life.

The advisory also adds that the advertisement of such tools shall not mislead the consumers and shall be consistent with the actual composition of the products.

FSSAI has further directed the manufacturers of bamboo food contact items that such material shall be manufactured and handled under hygienic conditions so as to prevent any physical, chemical and microbial contamination. And it should only be made from edible bamboo varieties and shall not contain any material in combination with bamboo while it should be disinfected in salt, neem and boiling water.

The advisory says that good hygiene practices shall be followed at each and every step of manufacturing, handling, and storage of these food contact materials.

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