Through a notification uploaded on 4 June, 2018 the FSSAI has drafted revisions to the existing standards of coconut milk and coconut cream and new standards for dried oregano (whole and powder), pimento (Allspice) (whole and powder), formulation of laurel (Bay Leaf) (Whole and Powder), Dried Mint and Dried Rosemary. The FSSAI has also invited comments from stakeholders on the proposed revisions and standards.
In the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives)Regulations, 2011 in the regulation FRUIT & VEGETABLE PRODUCTS (2.3) under the category COCONUT MILK (NON-DAIRY) the description in number (e) is proposed to be changed to the following :
Coconut water, Maltodextrin and Sodium caseinate may be added with label declaration on the package as provided in clause (6) of sub-regulation 2.3.51 of these regulations. The product shall have characteristic colour, flavour and odour of the products. It may be processed by heat, in an appropriate manner, before or after being hermetically sealed in a container, so as to prevent spoilage.”
Under “Labelling”
If the coconut milk (non-dairy), in which coconut water or maltodextrin or sodium caseinate either singly or in combination is added, then along with other labelling requirements it shall also be labelled as: Coconut milk with added *coconut water/*maltodextrin/*sodium caseinate
*Strikeout whichever is not applicable
Under the category COCONUT CREAM (NON-DAIRY) 2.3.52 the description under (e) is proposed to be changed to the following
Coconut water, Maltodextrin and Sodium caseinate may be added with label declaration on the package as provided in clause (6) of sub-regulation 2.3.52 of these regulations. The product shall have characteristic colour, flavour and odour of the products. It may be processed by heat, in an appropriate manner, before or after being hermetically sealed in a container, so as to prevent spoilage.
Under Labelling
If the coconut milk (non-dairy), in which coconut water or maltodextrin or sodium caseinated either singly or in combination is added, it shall be labelled as:
Coconut milk with added *coconut water/*maltodextrin/*sodium caseinate
*Strikeout whichever is not applicable
In regulation SALT, SPICES, CONDIMENTS AND RELATED PRODUCTS (2.9) the FSSAI proposes to add standards for the following
Dried Oregano
Dried Oregano Whole means the leaves of the Origanum genus, species and subspecies, excluding Origanum majorana, belonging to the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. The colour of the dried leaves shall be light greyish green to olive green. It shall be free from yellow or brown leaf, and from dust and fine particles. It shall have characteristic odour and flavour. It shall be free from mustiness and other foreign flavours. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements:
| S. NO | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 12.0 |
| 2. | Extraneous vegetable matter, percent by mass, (Maximum) | 3.0 |
| 3. | Foreign Matter, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 0.2 |
| 4. | Acid-insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 5. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 1.8 |
Explanations:
- Extraneous Vegetable Matter – Vegetative matter associated with the plant from which the product originates.
- Foreign Matter – Any visible objectionable foreign detectable matter or material not usually associated with the natural components of the spice plant; such as sticks, stones, etc.
Dried Oregano Powder means the powder obtained by grinding leaves of the Origanum genus, species and sub-species, excluding Origanum majorana, belonging to the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. It shall have characteristic odour and flavour. It shall be free from mustiness and other foreign flavours. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye. It shall also conform to the following requirements
| S. No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 12.0 |
| 2. | Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 3. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 1.5 |
Pimento or Allspice Whole means the dried, whole berry of Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. It shall be dark brown in colour. It shall have a mixed flavour of four spices – clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. It shall be free from any foreign taste or odour, including rancidity or mustiness. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements
| S No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 12.0 |
| 2. | Extraneous vegetable matter, percent by mass, (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 3. | Broken berries, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 4. | Foreign matter, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 0.2 |
| 5. | Acid-insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis, (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 6. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 2.0 |
Explanations:
- Extraneous Vegetable Matter – Vegetative matter associated with the plant from which the product originates.
- Foreign Matter – Any visible objectionable foreign detectable matter or material not usually associated with the natural components of the spice plant; such as sticks, stones, etc.
Pimento or Allspice Powder means the powder obtained by grinding dried berries of Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. It shall be in the form of homogeneous dark brown powder. It shall have a mixed flavour of four spices – clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. It shall be free from any foreign taste or odour, including rancidity or mustiness. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements
| S .No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 12.0 |
| 2. | Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 3. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 1.5 |
| 4. | Non-volatile ether extract, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 8.5 |
| 5. | Crude fibre, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 27.5 |
Dried Laurel or Dried Bay Leaf
Dried Laurel or Dried Bay Leaf Whole means the dried leaf of the tree Laurus nobilis L. The laurel leaf is oblong and pointed at the tip with a short petiole. The leaf is soft, shiny on the surface and dull underneath. It shall have pleasant, strong and delicate odour which emanates strongly when the leaf is crushed. It shall have characteristic flavour. It shall be free from any extraneous odour; in particular mustiness. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements:
| S No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 8.0 |
| 2. | Extraneous vegetable matter, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 3. | Foreign Matter, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 0.2 |
| 4. | Acid-insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 5. | Volatile oil content, ml/100 g, on dry basis, (Minimum) | 1.0 |
Explanations:
- Extraneous Vegetable Matter – Vegetative matter associated with the plant from which the product originates.
- Foreign Matter – Any visible objectionable foreign detectable matter or material not usually associated with the natural components of the spice plant; such as sticks, stones, etc.
Dried Laurel or Dried Bay Leaf Powder means the powder obtained by grinding dried leaf of the tree Laurus nobilis L. It shall have pleasant, strong and delicate odour which emanates strongly when the leaf is crushed. It shall have characteristic flavour. It shall be free from any extraneous odour, in particular mustiness. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements:
| S No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 8.0 |
| 2. | Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 2.0 |
| 3. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis, (Minimum) | 0.8 |
| 4. | Crude fibre content, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 30.0 |
Dried Mint
Dried mint means dried leaves or broken or crushed leaves of Mentha spicata Linnaeus syn. Mentha viridis Linnaeus. It shall have characteristic odour and flavour and shall be free from mustiness and other foreign flavours. It shall be free from living insects and moulds and shall be free from dead insects, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements:
| S No | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 13.0 |
| 2. | Foreign matter, percent by mass, (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 3. | Extraneous vegetable matter percent by mass (Maximum) | 3.0 |
| 4. | Total ash percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum) | 12.0 |
| 5. | Acid-insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum) | 1.5 |
| 6. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 0.5 |
Explanations:
- Foreign Matter – Any matter or material not usually associated with the product.
- Extraneous vegetable matter: Vegetative matter associated with the plant from which the product originates.
Dried Rosemary
Dried rosemary means dried leaves of the species Rosmarinus officinalis L., belonging to the family Lamiaceae. It shall have characteristic colour, odour and flavour. It shall be free from any foreign taste or odour, including rancidity or mustiness. It shall be free from living and dead insects, moulds, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye.
It shall conform to the following requirements:
| S No. | Characteristics | Requirements |
| 1. | Moisture content, percent by mass (Maximum) | 11.0 |
| 2. | Foreign matter, percent by mass (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 3. | Extraneous vegetable matter, percent by mass (Maximum) | 3.0 |
| 4. | Brown leaves, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum) | 10.0 |
| 5. | Total Ash, percent by mass on dry basis, (Maximum) | 8.0 |
| 6. | Acid-insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis, (Maximum) | 1.0 |
| 7. | Volatile oil content, ml/100g, on dry basis (Minimum) | 0.8 |
Explanations:
- Foreign Matter – Any matter or material not usually associated with the product.
- Extraneous vegetable matter: Vegetative matter associated with the plant from which the product originates.
- Brown leaves: The leaves of plant which die during growing season and are brown in colour
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