Food Safety & Standards Authority of India has issued draft notification to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. With this amendment, the authority has proposed to specify the level of toxin metal contaminants including lead, arsenic, tin, and cadmium in foods.
The amendment is being seen as a major step towards fixing the standards for processed foods with presence of heavy metals in them in the backdrop of findings of – metal lead – more than prescribed amount in instant noodles Maggi. Experts say that after these regulations come into force, the authority will be able to look after regulations with a guiding principle available and for food business operators it would be easier to chalk out plans for containing the levels of said metals in the food.
Further, the FSSAI has issued draft regulations for presence of melamine in milk and milk products. According to the new draft, the presence of melamine shall not exceed 1mg/kg in powdered infant formula, 0.15mg/kg in liquid infant formula and 2.5mg/kg in other foods.
The drafts will be taken into consideration after the expiry of the period of 60 days from the date of its publishing in the official gazette and made available to the public while the objections and suggestions, which may be received from any person with respect to the said draft regulations before the expiry of the specified period, would be considered by the food authority.
Meanwhile, the FSSAI has extended a ban on import of milk and milk products from China. The authority issued an advisory in this regard saying that the ban is being extended to one year further upto June 23, 2016, unless the safety risk assessment is undertaken based on credible reports.
