The FSSAI has recently issued a notification regarding the adoption of 46 BIS standards for food additives. The FSSAI has also invited comments and suggestions from WTO-SPS member countries and other stakeholders. These standards will be called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2016 once notified in the official gazette.
The proposed change has been made in the sub-regulation called ‘Standards of Additives’ in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standard and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 where new clauses under which additives have been categorized will be added to the already existing clauses. The additional standards are for the following clauses
- Beta-apo-8’-carotenal
- Ethyl ester of Beta-apo-8′-carotenoic acid
- Titanium dioxide
These additives have been defined according to their colour, texture, taste, and odour. The new standards also prescribe the form in which these additives may be used for commercial purposes as in the form of crystals, granules, powder etc.
Besides these three additives in the clauses, FSSAI has also proposed some new sub-regulations and the food additives standards under each sub-regulation. The standards for each individual food additive are in the form of two tables. Table one contains the common and chemical name, INS and C.A.S numbers, empirical formula and molecular weight of each individual additive. The second table for each additive outlines the characteristics and the requirements like purity, melting point, moisture by mass or volume etc. for each additive separately. The testing for these food additives will be according to BIS standard.
The new sub-regulations to be added are as follows and the food additives that come under the each sub-regulation category
Sub-regulation on Preservatives
In this category, the requirements for standards for the following have been prescribed and each additive has been defined texture, colour, odour, texture, and form (granules, powder, crystals or gas)
- Sodium benzoate
- Benzoic acid
- Potassium nitrate
- Sorbic acid
- Potassium nitrite
- Sodium propionate
- Sulfur dioxide
Sub-regulation on Acidity regulator
The acid regulators have been defined by their form whether, crystals, granules, granular or powder and by colour, odour, taste, and stability in air. Under this category, standards have been outlined for
- Ammonium hydrogen carbonate
- Sodium citrate
- Fumaric acid
- L (+) – Tartaric acid
- Dicalcium phosphate
- Phosphoric Acid
- Citric Acid
- Malic acid
- Sodium Hydroxide
Sub-regulation called Gelling agent/Thickener/stabilizer
Under this category, the standards for the following are outlined for
- Sodium Alginate
- Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose
- Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose, enzyme hydrolyzed
- Calcium Alginate
- Alginic Acid
- Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids
- Polyglycerol Esters of Interesterified Ricinoleic Acid
- Glycerol Esters of Wood Rosin
- Pectin
- Carrageenan
In this category, the standards prescribe the plant sources the following additives may be extracted from and in which form they are available like sticks, bark etc.
- Agar
- Gum Arabic or Acacia gum
- Tragacanth gum
- Gum Ghatti
- Guar Gums
- Gum Karaya
Sub-regulation on Antioxidants
The standards for the following have been prescribed and the additives have been defined according to their colour, texture, taste and the form they are available in like powder etc.
- Butylated hydroxyanisole
- Dodecyl gallate
- Propyl gallate
- Octyl gallate
- Ascorbyl Palmitate
- Sodium Ascorbate
Sub-regulation on Flavour enhancers
Monosodium L-glutamate is the only flavor enhancer for which standards have been prescribed.
Sub-regulation on glazing agent
- Mineral Oil /Medium viscosity food grade has been described as is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons, essentially paraffinic and naphthenic in nature, obtained from petroleum, refined by the use of oleum. This shall be colourless, transparent and oily liquid and free from fluorescence, odourless and tasteless
- Mineral Oil (High viscosity) is a mixture of highly refined paraffinic and naphthenic liquid hydrocarbons with a boiling point above 3500 obtained from mineral crude oils through various refining steps (e.g. distillation, extraction, and crystallization) and subsequent purification by acid and/or catalytic hydrotreatment; may contain antioxidants approved for food use. Mineral oil, food grade shall be colourless, transparent and oily liquid and free from fluorescence. It is odourless and tasteless
Sub-regulation Humectant/Wetting Agent/ Dispersing Agent
Standards for Propylene Glycol have been prescribed in this category
Sub-regulation Sweetener /Humectant / Sequestrant
Only Standards for Sorbitol have been defined in this category
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Dr. Sajal Kumar says
FSSAI Standard for Menthol / Levo Menthol.
Kindly provide
Dr. Sajal Kumar says
List of Standards FSSR 2011. Kindly provide.
FSH Team says
You can go through this link – https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Compendium_Food_Additives_Regulations_29_03_2019.pdf
Krishna Madhavrao Umarjikar says
GOOD