On 5 Sep 2022, FSSAI presented a clarifying notification regarding using blends of oils/emulsions/hydrogenated vegetable oils intended to be used as intermediate ingredients in manufacturing products by Food Businesses.
The selling of blends of vegetable oils as intermediate ingredients may be allowed subject to compliance with the certain conditions.
1. The selling licenses will be granted to Food Businesses for business-to-business sales only. The retail sale of such products is strictly prohibited.
2. The manufacturers should ensure that these products do not enter markets for sale to consumers.
3. Any misuse or diversion of sale of these products to the consumer will lie with the manufacturer.
4. These products must be sold in unit packs of not less than 500 ml/500g, which must be declared with proper labelling for non-retail containers as specified under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2022.
5. Individual pack must specify on the label - ‘Not for sale to consumer’/ Intermediate product for use in formulating another product’.
6. The users of these intermediate products should maintain a record concerning their inventory and manufacturer/supplier details and, when sought by the Food Authority, must produce these records.
The manufacturer should submit an undertaking complying with all the conditions to the respective Licensing Authority before the license issuance. These products are licensed under Category 99.