The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, proposing new standards for minor seed oils and edible seeds for direct human consumption. The draft also proposes permitting potassium polyaspartate as a food additive in grape wines. Stakeholders may submit comments within 60 days.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, introducing standards for new food categories and additives.
Key points include:
- The proposal establishes quality, contaminant, hygiene, and labelling requirements for minor seed oils, including chilli seed oil, muskmelon seed oil, okra seed oil, and tomato seed oil, covering both cold-pressed/virgin and refined variants.
- The draft also introduces standards for edible seeds intended for direct human consumption, including vegetable seeds such as watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon, and pumpkin seeds, as well as oilseeds such as sunflower, sesame, and flaxseed.
- Additionally, FSSAI proposes allowing potassium polyaspartate (INS 456) in grape wines at a maximum level of 100 mg/kg.
The amendment aims to provide regulatory clarity for emerging food products and support product standardisation while ensuring consumer safety and product quality.