The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a new set of additives, expanding its previous list. The draft includes additional additives like beverage whiteners, spreads, sweeteners, herbs, spice extracts, etc.

The apex food regulator has come up with a draft notification on additional additives to be included in the prevailing list of additives, which contains over 12,000 additives. An exhaustive list, the draft brought forth plenty of additives which can be used in food products.

This extensive draft of additives will come under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, under the heading, Food Category System.

Ashwin Bhadri, chief executive officer, Equinox Labs, said, “The addition of all the relevant additives in the existing list comes as a boon to many food business operators (FBOs).”

“Many times, food companies remain perplexed about the alternatives that can be both harmless to the consumers, yet add taste, if not value, to the product,” he added.

“A clear explanation, names and the limits ensure additional compliance to the food law, without hampering food business in any manner,” Bhadri said.

He added, “Many additives like sucrose oligoesters, citric Acid, ferrous lactate, tartrates, tocopherols, indigotine, shellac, etc., with their respective INS numbers, maximum limits and the food products they can be used in, are mentioned in detail in the draft.”

“Such simplification educates the food handlers with the additives that should and should not be used. Such clarity is necessary to avoid mayhem in the food industry, enhancing the health of the consumers,” Bhadri stated.

Girish Chitale of Chitale Dairy stated that by issuing the new additional additives, FSSAI was working towards providing a clearer and more transparent picture to the industry on the use of various additives.

He said, “By adding more additives, it helps the industry to simplify their categories for the usage and the amount of proportion to add in any product.”

Nilesh Lele, secretary, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists India ( AFSTI), said, “The new additives will encourage FBOs to come up with innovative products. Especially, dairy additives will be useful, as the dairy industry moves from a typical milk industry to one offering value-added products such as paneer, cheese, etc. This change will encourage the industry to innovate.”

Umesh Kamble, managing director, Farm To Fork Solutions India Pvt Ltd, said, “The impact on industries is very great, as the market for health food is increasing in India. The approval of the additive list by FSSAI will help the industries launch new products, which are non-standard as per the law, but additive safety is clear and approved as per the new additive list.”

“The stakeholders can give their suggestions within 60 days from the notice,” said a notice uploaded on the website.