The FSSAI has proposed draft standards for Sorghum Flour, Soybean, Soy Protein Products, Whole Maize (Corn) Flour, Wheat Protein Products Including Wheat Gluten, Durum Wheat Semolina and Whole durum wheat semolina, Durum Wheat, Finger Millet (Ragi) and Amaranth which have been uploaded on the website on 16 January 2017. The FSSAI has asked stakeholders to send their suggestions, comments, and views to the FSSAI office within 30 days from the above date.
FSSAI has made some addition to standards in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, in the category relating to ‘CEREALS AND CEREAL PRODUCTS’ and ‘FOOD GRAINS’
Sorghum Flour
This product is obtained by milling the grains of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. The flour must be free from abnormal flavors, odours, and living insects, filth and impurities of animal origin, including dead insects.
Standards for sorghum flour must conform to parameters and their limits like for
- Moisture by percentage weight
- Total Ash on the dry basis
- Protein
- Crude fat
- Particle size
Soybean
Soybean is to be obtained from the plants of Glycine max (L.) Merr. Soybean and will be free from mould and musty odour as well as non-edible and toxic seeds.
Standards must conform to parameters and limits
- Moisture
- Extraneous matter both organic and inorganic
- Other edible grains
- Percentage of immature, shriveled and green seeds
- Weevilled seeds by count
- Damaged or split and cracked seeds
- Oil content
- The acid value of extracted oil
Soy Protein Products
Soy Protein Products (SPP) means the food products obtained by the reduction
or removal of the major non-protein constituents like water, oil, carbohydrates, etc. from soybean.
Three types of SSP can be obtained
- Soy Protein Flour (SPF)
- Soy Protein Concentrate (SPC)
- Soy Protein Isolate (SPI)
Standards must conform to parameters in all three types of products like
- Moisture
- Crude protein by weight
- Total Ash
- Crude fiber
Whole Maize (Corn) Flour
Corn flour must be prepared from fully mature, sound, un-germinated, whole kernels of maize, Zea mays L., by a grinding process in which the entire grain is comminuted to coarse particles. Ground maize kernel may be separated, reground and recombined with all of the material from which they were separated.
Standards must conform to parameters like
- Moisture percentage
- Ash percentage
- Protein percentage
- Crude fat percentage
- Particle size
Wheat Protein Products Including Wheat Gluten
Wheat Protein Products (WPP) are produced from wheat or wheat flour by separation of certain non-protein constituents such as starch and other carbohydrates.
- Vital wheat gluten is characterized by its property of high viscoelasticity as hydrated.
- Devitalized wheat gluten is characterized by its reduced property of viscoelasticity as hydrated due to denaturation.
- Solubilized wheat proteins are characterized by their reduced property of viscoelasticity as hydrated due to partial hydrolysis of wheat gluten. Solubilised wheat proteins may contain optional ingredients like carbohydrates, including sugars, edible fats, and oils, other protein products, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, salt, herbs and spices, and enzymes.
Standards to conform to include separate parameters for vital and devitalized wheat gluten and solubilized wheat proteins for
- Moisture
- Crude protein
- Total Ash
Durum Wheat Semolina and Whole durum wheat semolina
Durum wheat semolina is the product prepared from a grain of durum wheat (Triticum
durum Desf.) by grinding or milling processes in which the bran and germ are
essentially removed and the remainder is ground to a suitable degree of fineness.
Whole durum wheat semolina is prepared by a similar grinding process, but the
bran and part of the germ are retained.
Standards must be confirmed in parameters like
- Moisture
- Total ash
- Acid-insoluble ash
- Protein (N x5.7)
- Alcoholic acidity
- Particle size
Under ‘Food Grains’ category the standards for the following have been proposed
Durum Wheat
Durum wheat shall be dried mature grains obtained from varieties of the species
Triticum durum Desf.
Standards must be confirmed in parameters like
- Moisture
- Protein
- Yellow pigment
- Extraneous matter
- Other edible grains
- Damaged grains
- Weevil affected grains
- Minimum test weight
- Shrunken and broken kernels
- Ergot
- Uric acid
Finger Millet (Ragi)
Ragi shall be the dried mature grains of Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn. free from added coloring matter, moulds, weevils, obnoxious substances, discoloration, poisonous seeds and all other impurities rodent hair and excreta.
Standards must be confirmed in parameters like
- Moisture
- Extraneous matter
- Other edible grains
- Damaged grains
- Immature and shriveled grains
- Weevilled grains
Amaranth
Amaranth shall be the dried mature grains of Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus
cruentus and Amaranthus hypochondriacus. It should be free from
added coloring matter, moulds, weevils, obnoxious substances, discoloration,
poisonous seeds and all other impurities except to the extent indicated in the table below. It shall be free from rodent hair and excreta.
Standards must conform to parameters like
- Moisture
- Other edible grains
- Damaged grains
- Extraneous matter
- Immature and shriveled grain
- Weevilled grains
- Uric acid
Food Additives
All the products may contain Food Additives permitted in Appendix A of the Food
Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011
Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues
All the products covered in these standards shall comply with the Food Safety and
Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011
Food Hygiene
All the products must be prepared and handled in accordance with the guidance
provided in the Schedule 4, of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and
Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 and conform to the microbiological requirement given in Appendix B of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011
Packaging & Labelling
All these products covered by these standards shall be labeled in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011
Method of Analysis
For all these products will be as provided in the relevant FSSAI Manual on Analysis of Food.
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