In 2014 the FSSAI had made amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011. According to a notification dated 4 November 2015, these regulations were notified in the Official Gazette, copies of which were made available to the public on the 5th December 2014.
The changes in standards had been made to ‘Crop Contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances.’ These amendments were dealing with naturally occurring toxins like Agaric acid, Hydrocyanic acid, Hypericin, and Safrole. The names of the foods these natural toxins occur in along with ppm levels have now become standards. These regulations will be called the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) (Amendment) Regulations, 2015.
Table: MRLs of Naturally occurring Toxic Substances in Foods
SI.No | Name of naturally occurring toxic substances (NOTS) | Article of Food | Maximum limits (ppm) |
---|---|---|---|
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) |
1. | Agaric acid | Food containing mushrooms | 100 |
Alcoholic beverages | 100 | ||
2. | Hydrocyanic acid | Nougat, marzipan or its substitutes or similar products | 5 |
Canned stone fruits | 5 | ||
Alcoholic beverages | 5 | ||
Confectionery | 5 | ||
Stone fruit juices | 5 | ||
3. | Hypericine | Alcoholic beverages | 1 |
4. | Saffrole | Meat preparations and meat products, including poultry and game | 10 |
Fish preparations and fish products | 10 | ||
Soups and sauces | 10 | ||
Non-alcoholic beverages | 10 | ||
Food containing mace and nutmeg | 10 | ||
Alcoholic beverages | 10 |
Proposed Draft
Recently FSSAI has taken out another notice in the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011 relating to ‘Heavy Metals.’ The FSSAI has called for suggestions, views, comments etc. from stakeholders on the proposed standards for removal of Zinc from the list of heavy metal contaminants. Earlier standards for zinc had been given for ready to drink beverages, orange, tomato, grape, pineapple and lemon juices, pulps of fruits, infant foods, turmeric powder, edible gelatine, hard boiled sugar confectionery and fruit and vegetable products. FSSAI has now proposed omitting zinc from the list of contaminants in all these foods in which case these standards will be omitted too.
About Zinc
Foods naturally contain zinc but vary greatly in their zinc content. Zinc is one of the essential nutrients needed by the body for growth, development of bones, metabolism, and wound-healing. Lack of adequate amounts of zinc can also affect the health adversely as people with low zinc levels can have a decreased sense of taste and smell, poor appetite, inability to fight infections and slow healing of wounds and sores. The World Health Organisation says that there are millions of people who suffer from zinc deficiency. Micronutrients like zinc are needed only in small amounts by the body but are critical for growth in children. Zinc, therefore, is also used for fortifying foods as it reduces zinc deficiency.
Zinc is normally found in small amounts in nature but absorbing too much zinc into the body can also cause health problems. Zinc is used in certain industries and can be released into the environment during mining and smelting. People living close to these industries can be exposed to higher levels of zinc by drinking water, breathing air and touching soil that contains the metal. Zinc can also enter the body by eating foods that contain zinc or drinking water that flows through zinc coated pipes or other beverages that are stored in metal cans.
To view FSSAI Amendment
To view FSSAI Draft
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