FSSAI has decided to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales ) Regulations, 2011, with respect to the sale of artificial sweeteners through vending machines.
The country’s apex food regulator decided to put a clause in the regulations that sought the labelling of such machines and cups through which products containing artificial sweeteners were served.
The clause stated, “If such product is sold through a vending machine, a display or label in respect of artificial sweetener shall be placed on the cups or container in which the product is served and also on the vending machine prominently as per the labelling requirements prescribed under Regulation 2.4.5 (24, 25, 26, 28 and 29) of Food safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.”
According to a FSSAI functionary, this draft was made to let consumers make informed choices, and objections and comments were sought in this regard from the stakeholders.
FSSAI has also released a notification for draft regulations to further amend the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, to add decaffeinated-roasted and ground coffee.
According to the regulations, decaffeinated coffee is defined as the dried seeds of Coffea arabica, Coffea liberica, Coffea excelsa or Coffea canephora (Robusta) or with their husks (mesocarp and endocarp) removed and decaffeinated to remove nearly all the caffeine from the beans.
“Decaffeination is carried out while the beans are in green form, before they are roasted,” they added.
The regulations stated, “It shall be free from artificial colouring, flavouring, facing, extraneous matter or glazing substances, and shall be in dry and fresh condition, free from rancid or obnoxious flavours.”
The amendments also laid the parameters and requirements for this product category, that include moisture (per cent by mass: maximum five); total ash (per cent by mass: 3-6); Acid-insoluble ash (per cent by mass: maximum 0.1); water-soluble ash (per cent by mass: minimum 65); alkalinity of soluble ash in millilitre of 0.1 N hydrochloric acid per gram of material (per cent by mass: 3.5-5); aqueous extracts (per cent by mass: 26-35) and caffeine (anhydrous) (per cent by mass: maximum 0.1).
The regulations also prescribed the conditions for decaffeinated soluble coffee powder as well.
It stated that the decaffeinated soluble coffee powder means coffee powder obtained from freshly-roasted and ground pure coffee beans from which most of the caffeine has been removed. The product shall be in the form of a free-flowing powder or shall be in the agglomerated form (granules) having colour, taste and flavour characteristic of coffee. It shall be free from impurities and shall not contain chicory or any other added substances.
The parameters under the regulations prescribed the permissible limits for moisture (per cent by mass: maximum four); total ash (per cent by mass: maximum 12); caffeine (anhydrous) (per cent by mass: maximum 0.3); solubility in boiling water: dissolves readily in 30 seconds with moderate stirring, and solubility in cold water at 16+/- 2 degree Centigrade shall be soluble in moderate stirring in three minutes.
