Members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) under the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, encourages member countries to base their regulations on international standards as a means to facilitate trade. Hence The FSSAI has asked for views, objections, and suggestions from member countries that can be mailed to [email protected] on or before 03 January 2016.
Comments have been invited from WTO-TBT Member Countries on Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2015 and Draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition & Restriction on sale) Amendment Regulation, 2015 relating to standards of Milk and Milk Products.
- In the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sale) Regulations, 2011, in relation to “Sale of certain admixtures prohibited” cream which has not been prepared exclusively from milk or which contains less than 20 percent milk fat will not be allowed to be sold.
- In the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 ‘Definitions’ (1.2) for boiled milk, double toned milk, full cream milk, milk, mixed milk, milk products, pasteurisation, recombined milk, skimmed milk, sterilisation, standardised milk and toned milk have been omitted.
- In DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ANALOGUES (2.1) the following have been omitted from the sub-regulations namely milk, cream, malai, dahi or curd, chhana or paneer, cheese, dairy-based desserts or confection, evaporated or condensed milk and milk products, butter, ghee and milk fats, chakka and shrikhand, fermented milk products, whey products, edible casein products.
- DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ANALOGUES (2.1) new sub-regulations have been added that is a new ‘General Standard for Milk and Milk Products’ (2.1.1) has been added which provides a
- New definition for ‘Milk’ and also provides a list of products that will be called ‘Milk Products
- New definition for composite milk products, reconstituted milk or milk products, recombined milk or milk products.
- Definitions for terms used in the milk industry like pasteurization, sterilization, heat treatment, etc.
- The regulations have also explained how dairy terms will be declared to name milk or milk products.
- How dairy terms may be used for other foods and how certain terms can be used in the labeling of milk, milk products or composite milk products.
- Milk and milk products may be enriched with essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals etc. subject to other relevant regulations including labeling requirements
- Labeling of Prepackaged Foods. Pre-packaged milk, milk products, and composite milk products shall be labeled in accordance with the said regulation, except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in clause 3 of this standard.
- For the use of probiotics in dairy products; the ‘Indian Council Medical Research Guidelines for Evaluation of Probiotics in Food’ shall be followed.
STANDARDS FOR MILK
Description has been provided for various ‘milk’ types like Species identified milk, Mixed milk, Full cream milk, Standardized milk, Toned milk, Double toned milk, or Skimmed milk. A tabular format describes the ‘composition’ requirements of milk according to animal and Indian states.
These milk products shall not contain any food additives unless some specific products contain carryover food additives as prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives), Regulation, 2011.
Sterilized milk may contain the additives classes from Emulsifiers and Acidity regulators but UHT Treated Milk must not contain these as it is not technologically justified.
Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues: The products covered in this standard shall comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011. The total urea content in the product shall not be more than 700 ppm.
Hygiene: All products will be handled and prepared according to guidance provided in Schedule 4, Part II and III of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 and any other such guidance provided from time to time under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006. The products will also confirm to microbiological requirements given in Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
Labeling
- These declarations on the label are in respect of pre-packaged milk or otherwise if the milk is not pre-packaged, in respect of the milk offered for sale to the consumer, such declaration given on the container from which milk will be offered for sale to the consumer:
(i) the class of milk as per these subs- regulations
(ii) the heat treatment, as per General Standard for Milk and Milk Products to which product has been subjected to.
- If the Milk from any milch animal, mixed milk or skimmed milk is offered for sale to the consumer without any heat treatment, the name of the milk shall be declared on the label of pre-packaged milk; or otherwise if the milk is not pre-packaged, the name of the milk shall be declared and mentioned on the container from which milk shall be offered for sale to the consumer, it shall be preceded with the term ‘Raw’.
- All other provisions laid down under Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling), Regulations, 2011, shall also apply to the pre-packaged milk:
- List of ingredients may not be declared in descending order of usage since the proportion of ingredients used may require change on a daily basis
- Where ‘reconstituted’ or ‘recombined’ milk is declared in the list of ingredients, their components need not be declared separately. However, the ingredients ratio shall be mentioned.
Method of Sampling and Analysis will be according to the Food Safety Standards Authority India Manual of Method of Analysis of Food (2015) – Milk and Milk Products.
STANDARDS FOR OTHER MILK PRODUCTS
Just like the Standards for Milk the Standards have been outlined similarly for the following
- Flavoured Milk
- Evaporated or Concentrated Milk
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Cream and Malai
- MilkFat Products
- Butter
- Milk Powders and Cream Powder
- Dairy Whitener
- Whey Powder
- Fermented Milk Products
- Ice Cream, Kulfi, Chocolate Ice Cream, Softy Ice Cream, Milk Ice, Milk Lolly and Dried Ice Cream Mix
- Frozen Desserts or Confections with Added Vegetable Oil or Fat or Vegetable Protein, or both
- Chhana and Paneer
- Cheeses and Cheese Products
- Edible Casein Products
In the draft standards for all these products:
- First, the products have been defined
- Their Essential Composition and Quality Factors like raw materials, permitted ingredients have been given below the description
- The composition of the products has been mentioned individually in tabular form for each product
- The standards for use of food additives in individual products have been mentioned
- Permitted levels of Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues for each product has been mentioned
- Hygiene standards to be maintained
- Labeling requirements for each individual product have been mentioned.
- Methods of sampling and analysis of these products are also given.
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