Under the power conferred by clause (e) of section 92, the FSSAI issued a draft regulation in the Official Gazette further to amend the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
These regulations will be called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2022 and will be enforced on 1 April 2023.
The following amendments have been made:
In said regulations 2.4, after sub-regulation 2.4.38 relating to ‘Mixed Millet Flour’, the following sub-regulation will be inserted-
2.4.39-FERMENTED SOYBEAN CURD AND FERMENTED SOYBEAN CURD (made with S. thermophilus + L. bulgaricus). Sub-regulation 2.4.39 concerns the standards for preparing fermented soybean curd.
Fermented Soybean Curd and Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophilus + L. bulgaricus) may be prepared by fermenting the aqueous extract of soybean using two strains of lactic acid bacteria- Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
It may be plain or sweetened or flavoured. If it is flavoured may contain fruits like mango or pineapple, or orange. If milk is added, it should not exceed 25% of the final product.
If it is prepared without dairy ingredients, “Non-dairy product” must be labelled on the package, whereas if prepared with dairy ingredients, “With low-dairy ingredients” must be labelled.
Fermented Soybean curd must have a pH range between 4.0-4.5, total solid not less than10.0% by mass, urease activity not more than 0.5, fat content not more than 2.0% by mass, protein not less than 3.0% by mass and acidity as lactic acid not more than 1.5%.
Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus) must also meet the above quality parameters except that the pH range must be between 4.0-5.0 and acidity as lactic acid not more than 1.7%.