FSSAI has issued a draft notice calling for views and suggestions from the World Trade Organization (WTO) – sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) committee members revising the existing standards as well as adding new categories to the food additives list.

“Stakeholders must submit their suggestions within 60 days of the listing,” said a notice uploaded on the country’s apex food regulator’s website.

As per the draft notification, Sub-regulation 2.3.51 and 2.3.52 for coconut milk (non-dairy) and coconut cream (non-dairy) under Regulation 2.3 related to fruit and vegetable products has been revised from the labelling perspective.

The draft now directs that maltodextrin or sodium caseinate be mentioned as the label declaration on the package if it is added, which was not the case earlier. The coconut milk (non-dairy), in which coconut water or maltodextrin or sodium caseinate, either singly or in combination, is added, shall be labelled as: Coconut milk with added coconut water/maltodextrin/sodium caseinate.

Meanwhile, new standards have been added under Regulation 2.9 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, related to salt, spices, condiments and related products, and Regulation 2.4, related to cereals and cereal products .

Under Sub-regulation 2.9.34 of Regulation 2.9, the standards for dried oregano, pimento or allspice, dried laurel or dried bay leaf, dried mint and dried rosemary, and under Sub-regulation 2.4.32 of Regulation 2.4, the standards for wheat bran and non-fermented soybean products have been added for the first time.

Having done research on oregano earlier, Dhrubo Jyoti Sen, professor, department of pharmaceutical chemistry, Shri Sarvajanik Pharmacy College, Gujarat Technological University, Gujarat, said, “Adding new standards for these categories under spices and condiments will help the industry clarify all its queries about the usage.”

“Oregano is a wonderful herb, both to use in cooking and to use therapeutically as needed. Although oregano is popular in Mediterranean cuisine, it is often associated primarily with a pizza spice in the United States. It contains Vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, as well as fibre, folate, iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium,” he added.

Sen said, “Oregano has anti-inflammatory properties, acts as antioxidants for immune system support and also has cancer-fighting effects. Standards for the new categories were needed and inclusion of them in the regulation is a welcome move.”