On 5 September 2016, the FSSAI had notified an amendment regulation for standards of food additives. These regulations were called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Seventh Amendment Regulations, 2016. The FBOs had to comply with the provisions of these amendments by 1 July 2017. On 30 June 2017, the FSSAI has issued directions extending the time period for the compliance of some of these standards for food additives in various foods and categories of foods which includes the vertical standards for food products.
The FSSAI has received representations from various stakeholders requesting the FSSAI to extend the time period for the enforcement of these amendment regulations. The reasons given by most FBOs is that the use of a large number of these food additives in foods is posing a technical challenge as it means
- Reformulation of the food product
- Related labeling changes
Besides, the FSSAI is presently also undertaking further amendments to this regulation (amendment) so as to address certain concerns and suggestions made by a number of stakeholders.
The directions of 30 June 2017 of the FSSAI state that the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Seventh Amendment Regulations, 2016 will, in fact, be enforced from 1st July 2017 but will exclude the compliance for the following food additives
- Those food additives are excluded that were relisted recently as on 3 May 2017 and the additions were made in Appendix A through the notification which amended the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 related to the FOOD CATEGORY SYSTEM.
- Food additives listed in the standards for food products in the regulation related to FOODS FOR INFANT NUTRITION in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
- Lecithin as listed under Antioxidants in the FOOD ADDITIVE regulation in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
The above three categories of food additives will be exempt from compliance on 1 July 2017. These will become effective only after the final notification of amendments to the food additives provisions. All the other amendments in the regulations for standards of food additives will need to have complied with effect from 1st July 2017.
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