FSSAI has issued direction regarding the adoption and operationalization of some Codex Standards in a notification dated 26 April 2016. The respective Scientific Panels and Scientific Committees have recommended these standards for adoption. The Codex Standards that have been adopted will be implemented and operationalized with immediate effect but with the provision for food additives, contaminants, labelling requirements and method of analysis will need to follow the Food Safety and Standards Regulations that apply to them.
The list of foods with adopted Codex Standards and the category in FSSR
- Cheese in brine to be adopted into Dairy Products and Analogues
- Edible Fats and Oils (not covered by individual standards) will be adopted into Fats, Oils and Fat Emulsion
- Dried Apricot, Canned Tropical Food Salad. Canned Chestnut and Chestnut Puree, Date Puree, Harissa (Red Hot Pepper Paste), Fermented Soyabean Paste, Quick Frozen French Fried Potatoes, Gari (products of cassava tubers) Edible Cassava flour, Lucuma (LAC), Vegetable Protein products, Aqueous Coconut products, Coconut milk, coconut cream and Tempe have been adopted into the FSSR category dealing with fruit and vegetable products.
- Foods that have been adopted into regulations dealing with Cereals and cereal products are Pearl Millet Flour, Sorghum Flour, Durum Wheat Semolina and Durum Wheat flour, Couscous. Degermed Maize, (corn) Meal & Maize (corn) grits, Instant noodles, Edible Sago flour, Wheat protein products, Soy protein products.
- Under the category of Fish and Fish products the following fish products have been adopted, Quick Frozen Fish Sticks ( Fish fingers), Fish proteins and fish Fillets breaded or in batter, Sturgeon Caviar, Fish sauce, Live and Raw Bivalve Molluses, Fresh and quick frozen raw scallop products.
- Cocoa mass, Cocoa Chocolate liquor and Cocoa Cake, Cocoa butter, Cocoa Powder and Dry mixtures of cocoa and sugars have been adopted into the category ‘Other Food Products and ingredients.’
FSSAI has also created a new category in the regulations so as to be able to adopt Codex standards for ‘Special Dietary Foods with Low Sodium Content.’
The Apex Regulator has also reiterated that all foods adopted into the FSSR must contain Food Additives according to Appendix A of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product standards and Food Additives) Regulation 2011. Similarly the foods must comply with standards for contaminants, toxins and residues as prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations 2011.
For standards of food hygiene, all the adopted foods must be prepared and handled according to the guidance provided in Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011 and any other such guidance provided from time to time under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Microbiological standards must be in accordance with Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011.
Labelling of the food products will be according to Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations 2011.
The methods of sampling and analysis must be carried out as per the ‘FSSAI Manual of Method of Analysis of Food’.
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