Through a notification dated 21 July 2017, the FSSAI has made further amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Second Amendment Regulation, 2017 related to the fixation of limits of Hydrocyanic acid in sago, cassava flour, tapioca flour, Manihot flour and their products. Hydrocyanic acid is also known as prussic acid and it is a naturally occurring toxin. If it is consumed in limits above those which have been recommended it could cause toxicity.
For some time there has been demand from sago producers to revise maximum permissible limit of hydrocyanic acid in sago. The FSSAI has now finalized the limit of Hydrocyanic limit and proposed an amendment to the regulation after considering the suggestions received from stakeholders. However, if there are further objections or suggestions the FSSAI will consider them up to 21 August 2017 after which date the copies of the Official Gazette will be made public. These regulations will come into force on the date of their final publication in the Official Gazette.
In the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011, in regulation relating to “Crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances” amendments have been made to limits of Hydrocyanic acid in the category “Naturally occurring toxic substances.” In this category, the limits of 5ppm Hydrocyanic acid has been set for nougat, marzipan or its substitutes or similar products, canned stone fruits, alcoholic beverages, confectionery and stoned fruit juices which were previously also the limit for sago.
However, now the FSSAI has increased the limit of Hydrocyanic acid in Sago, Cassava flour, Tapioca flour, Manihot flour and their products from previous 5ppm limit to a limit of 10ppm through this notification.
The table for Naturally Occurring Toxic Substances will be like;
Naturally Occurring Toxic Substances
Sl. No. |
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(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | |||
1. |
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100 | |||
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100 | |||||
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | |||
2. |
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5 | |||
|
5 | |||||
|
5 | |||||
|
5 | |||||
|
5 | |||||
Sago, Cassava flour, Tapioca flour, Manihot flour and their products | 10 | |||||
3. |
|
|
1 | |||
4. |
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|
10 | |||
|
10 | |||||
|
10 | |||||
|
10 | |||||
|
10 | |||||
|
10 |
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