The FSSAI has suggested changes in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Under the regulation FRUIT & VEGETABLE PRODUCTS the parameters for the use of Aflatoxin in Raisins and Nuts (2.3.47) and the entries relating to it have been omitted.
In the FSSAI drafts notification related to standards of pulses, grains, flour and soy protein Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives)
Regulations, 2011, in regulation relating to CEREALS & CEREAL PRODUCTS under ‘Food grains’ the standards for Alatoxin in wheat, maize, rice have also been omitted.
FSSAI has removed BAJRA from the combined standards of Jawar and Bajra and made separate standards for Bajra. The definition of JAWAR will now read as the dried mature grains of Sorghum Vulgare Pers and shall be sweet, hard, clean and wholesome. While the rest of the standards remain the same Aflatoxin has been omitted from the standards here too.
In place of separate standards for pulses like Masur whole, Urd whole, Moong whole, Chana whole, Split pulse (dal) Arhar, Split Pulse (Dal) Moong, Split Pulse (Dal) Urad, Dal Chana and Split Pulse Masur the FSSAI proposes to have Common Standards for all Pulses likeÂ
1.Lentil (Masur) – Lenil esculenta Moench or Lens culinaris Medik or Ervem lens
Linn,
- Black gram (Urd) – Phaseolus mungoLinn,
- Green gram (Moong) – Phaseolus aureus Roxb., Phaseolus radiatus Roxb.
- Bengal gram (Chana /Chick pea) / Kabuli chana,/Chhole/(green chick pea) hara chana – Cicer arietinum Linn
- Red gram (Arhar) – Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp
- Horse gram (Kulthi) –Dolichosbiflorus
- Field bean (Black, Brown, White), Sem – Phaseolus vulgaris
- Peas dry (Matra) –Pisumsativum
- Soybean – Glycine max Merr.)
- Rajmah/ Double beans/ Broad beans/ Black beans – (Phaseolus vulgaris)
- Lobia/ black eyed beans or black eyed white lobia – (Vignacatjang)
- Moth bean (matki) – (Phaseolusaconitifolius Jacq.)
The Common standards for pulses are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits | |
| Moisture Content (percent by mass), Max. | 14.0 | Pulses withoutseed coat – 12.0 |
| Extraneous matter | Not more than 1.0 per cent. By massof which not more than 0.25
percent. By mass shall be mineral matter and not more than 0.10 percent. By mass shall be impurities of animal origin. |
|
| DefectsSeeds with serious defects. (Seeds in
which the cotyledons have been affected or attacked by pests; seeds with very slight traces of mould or decay; or slight cotyledon staining.) (% Not more than)  Seeds with slight defects. (Seeds which have not reached normal development; seeds with extensive seedcoat staining, without the cotyledon being affected; seeds in which the seedcoat is wrinkled, with pronounced folding or broken pulses *) |
1.0
Not more than 7.0% of which broken pulses must not exceed 3.0% |
|
| Other edible pulses (Not more than), % by mass | 2.0 | |
| Discoloured seeds (Not more than), %by mass | 3.0 | |
| Uric acid (Not more than) | 100 mg per kg | |
* Broken pulses. Broken in whole pulses in which the cotyledons are separated or one cotyledon has been broken. Broken in split pulses are pulses in which the cotyledon has been broken.
Food Additives
No food additive shall be allowed’ under Common standards for pulses
Whole and Decorticated Pearl Millet Grains (Bajra)
Pearl millet grains (whole or decorticated grains) shall be the dried mature grains of
Pennisetum typhoideum Rich / Pennisetum americanum L.
Whole grains: These are grains of pearl millet obtained as such after proper threshing with no mechanical treatment.
Decorticated grains: These are grains of pearl millet from which outer parts, amounting to 20–22% of the weight of the whole grains have been removed in an appropriate manner using mechanical treatment including simple abrasion.
The standards for whole grain Bajra (millet) and decorticated bajra grains are separate and the parameters and limits are different also.
                                 Standards for Whole millet grains
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 13.0 |
| 1 Litre mass (in gms) | 750-820 |
| Extraneous matter | Not more than 1.0 per cent. By mass of which not more than 0.25 percent. By mass shall be mineral matter and not more than 0.10 percent. By mass shall be impurities of animal origin |
| Damaged grains percent by mass (Not more than) | 6.0 out of which Ergot affected grains shall not exceed 0.05 per cent by mass |
| Weevilled grains(Not more than) | 6 percent by count |
| Other edible grains percent by mass (Not more than) | 2.0 |
| Uric acid (Not more than) | 100 mg per kg |
Standards for Decorticated millet grains
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Proposed |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 13.0 |
| APPEARANCEBrown, white or green | Hard, uniform in shape and size |
| 1000 KERNEL WEIGHT Decorticated millet grains (in gms) | 4.0-8.0 |
| 1 Litre mass (in gms) | 720-820 |
| Extraneous matter | Not more than 1.0 per cent. By mass of which not more than 0.25 percent. By mass shall be mineral matter and not more than 0.10 percent. By mass shall be impurities of animal origin. |
| Damaged grains (percent by mass), Not more than | 6.0 out of which Ergot affected grains shall not exceed 0.05 per cent by mass |
| Weevilled grains percent (Not more than) | 6% by count |
| Immature & Shrivelled grain % by mass (Not more than) | 8.0 |
| Other edible grains (percent by mass), Not more than | 2.0 |
| ASH (percent on dry matter basis) | 0,8 to 1.0 |
| PROTEIN (percent by mass on a dry basis), Not less than | 8.0 |
| DECORTICATION % | 20.0 -22.0 |
| CRUDE FIBRE % by mass (on a dry basis) | 2.0 |
| FAT % by mass on a dry basis | 2.0 to 4.0 |
| Uric acid (Not more than) | 100 mg per kg |
CORN FLAKES
FSSAI has made some additions to the definition of cornflakes but has made no changes in the standards. cornflakes means the product obtained from dehulled, degermed and cook corn (Zea mays L.) by flaking, partially drying and toasting. It may contain any other ingredients suitable to the product whose standards are prescribed in Food Safety and Standards (Food Products and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. It shall be in the form of crisp flakes of reasonably uniform size and golden brown in colour. It shall be free from dirt, insects, larvae and impurities and any other extraneous matter.
FSSAI has also formulated standards for Degermed Maize (Corn) Flour and Maize (Corn) Grits.
Degermed maize (corn) flour is to be prepared from fully mature, cleaned, free from mould degermed kernels of maize (corn), Zea mays L., by a grinding process in which the grain is comminuted to a suitable degree of fineness and from which bran and germ are removed. In its preparation, coarse particles of the ground maize kernel may be separated, reground and recombined with all of the material from which they were separated.
Degermed maize (corn) grits is prepared from fully mature, cleaned, free from mould, kernels of maize (corn), Zea mays L., by a grinding process in which the grain is
comminuted to a suitable degree of fineness and from which bran and germ are almost completely removed.
The standards are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 13.0 |
| Ash (on dry matter basis ), Max % | 1.0 |
| Protein (Nx6.25) (on dry matter basis), Min % | 7.0 |
| Crude Fat (on dry matter basis),Max % | 2.25 |
| Particle Sizedegermed maize flour
degermed maize grits |
95% or more shall pass through a 0.85 (20 mesh) mm sieve100% or more shall pass through a 2.00 mm (10 mesh) sieve
20% or less through a 0.71 mm (25 mesh) sieve |
Couscous
Couscous is obtained from durum wheat semolina (Triticum durum) the elements of which are bound by adding potable water and which has undergone physical treatment such as cooking and drying. Couscous may be prepared from a mixture of coarse and fine semolina. It can also be prepared from “coarse medium†semolina. It shall be clean and safe.
Semolina proportions in the mixture intended for the preparation of couscous are:
20–30% for fine semolina
70–80% for coarse semolina
“Coarse medium†semolina obtained from a mixture of:
25–30% for coarse semolina
70–75% for medium semolina
Standards are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 13.0 |
| Ash (on dry matter basis ), Max % | 1.1 |
| Granularity (microns) | min. 600(0.60 mm= 30 mesh)microns to max. 2000 microns
(2.0 mm= 10 mesh), with a tolerance of 6%. |
Tempe
Tempe is a compact, white, cake-form product, prepared from dehulled boiled soybeans through solid state fermentation with Rhizopus spp. Product covered by this standard shall consist of the following ingredients:
- a) Soybean (any variety)
- b) Mould of Rhizopus (R.oligosporus, R. oryzae and/ or R. stolonifer) mix with cooked rice powder, rice bran powder and/ or wheat bran powder as an inocula.
Standards are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 65.0 |
| Protein Content (on dry matter basis),Min % | 15.0 |
| Fat Content (percent on dry massbasis), Min. | 7.0 |
| Crude Fibre (percent on dry massbasis) Max | 2.5 |
Textured Soy Protein (Soy Bari/Soy Nuggets/ Soy Chunks/ Soy Granules)Â is obtained by extrusion of defatted soy flour/ grits.
The standards are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limits |
| Moisture (percent by mass), Max. | 7.0 |
| Protein (percent on dry matter basis), Min. | 50.0 |
| Fat (Not more than) on dry mass basis | 1.0 |
| Total Ash (percent on dry mass basis), Max | 7.0 |
| Crude Fiber (percent on dry mass basis) Max. | 3.5 |
| Acid Insoluble Ash (percent on dry mass basis), Max. | 0.3 |
| Hexane (Not more than) | 10ppm |
Urease activity- The product shall not show a change of pH by more than 0.5 as determined by urease activity method.
Sago Flour
Sago flour is the product prepared from the pith or soft core of sago palm tree
(Metroxylon sp.) or the Sago of Tapioca (Manihot utilissima).
                                                 Standards are as follows
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parameters | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Limit |
| Moisture (Not more than) , % by mass | 13.0 |
| Ash Inorganic extraneous matter(Not morethan) , % by mass | 0.5 |
| Acidity (mg KOH/100g) (Not more than) ,% by mass | 220 |
| Starch content (Not less than) , % by mass | 96.0 |
| Crude fibre (Not more than) , % by mass | 0.2 |
| Particle size | Not less than 95% flour shall passthrough a 100 mesh sieve |
Food Additives
The above products may contain Food Additives permitted in Appendix A of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives)
Regulations, 2011 (Not applicable for pulses)
Contaminants, Toxins and Residues
The products covered in the above mentioned standards shall comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
Food Hygiene
The products shall be prepared and handled in accordance with the guidance provided in the Schedule 4, 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 product shall conform to the microbiological requirement given in Appendix B of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.
Packaging & Labelling
The product covered by this Standard shall be labelled in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulation, 2011.
Method of Analysis
As provided in the relevant FSSAI Manual on Analysis of Food
This article only contains a brief explanation and gist of the proposed standards.
Source : FSSAI
