In January, 2018 a training programme was conducted at FSSAI Headquarters which was attended by Officers of the FSSAI and officers of Regional Office (NR), Delhi on Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special medical purpose, Functional foods and Novel Food) Regulations 2016. During the training, one issue that emerged for clarification, among others was about the licensing category of Premix. In this regard, the FSSAI had clarified that any intermediary products/ premixes which are not for direct consumption and are to be added to the final formulation shall fall under Category 99. In the list of Indian Food Code, Category 99 is for “Substances added to food which are ‘not for direct consumption as food.” Premix types can, therefore, be licensed in one of the following categories of the Food Categorisation Code as per eligibility
99 – Substances Added to food
99.5 – Nutrients and their preparations
99.6 – Microorganisms and Microbial Preparations
99.7 – Functional Ingredients
In continuation of the letter written in April about the training programme and licensing of premix, the FSSAI has now issued a new letter dated 17 September 2018, in which the FSSAI has clarified the broad category for the production/ manufacture of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRKs). In the broad category, Fortified Rice Kernel falls under the category 99 (substances added to food) because it is a premix sub-category 99.5 and its preparations.
The FSSAI has also clarified the type of licenses that FBOs will need for various types of Fortified Rice Kernels
- If FBO is only producing FRK, then such FBO shall obtain FSSAI Licence/Registration under category 99, sub-category 99.5.
- If FBO is blending sourced FRKs with normal rice, then the final product produced will be fortified rice and so the product category for fortified rice is 06 and licensing will be accordingly required.
If the same FBO is producing FRK and blending it with rice, such FBO will obtain license/ registration under two separate categories; one for FRK category 99 and the second for fortified rice category 06
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