Amendment to Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Rules

October 13, 2022
FSSAI Registeration

By Rupin Chopra and Raj Kumar Gupta

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2022[1] on September 19, 2022, further to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. The amendment shall come into force from April 1, 2023.

The said amendment has been passed in exercise of powers conferred under Section 92(2)(e) read along with Section 16 of the FSSAI Act, 2006. As per the stated provisions, FSSAI is empowered to make guidelines and standards in relation to articles of food meant for human consumption.

By way of this amendment, Regulation 2.4.39 has been inserted in the original Regulation of 2011, laying down provisions with respect to “Fermented Soybean Curd” and “Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus)”.

The amendment details on the preparation process, permissible ingredients, mandatory declarations on the label, and standards of “Fermented Soyabean Curd” and “Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus)”.

Fermented Soyabean Curd

  • Preparation Process – Fermented Soybean Curd is prepared by fermentation of aqueous extract of soybean. The fermentation is carried out by the mixed cultures of Lactic acid bacteria or any other suitable cultures.
  • Ingredients – It may be plain or sweetened and/or flavored. Milk/ reconstituted milk may be added in the aqueous extract of soybean. If added, it shall not exceed 25% of the final product
  • Mandatory declaration on label – In cases where Fermented Soybean Curd is prepared without dairy ingredients, “Non-dairy product” declaration shall be made on the label and in cases where it is prepared with dairy ingredients, “With low- dairy ingredients” declaration shall be made on the label.
  • Standards – Fermented Soybean curd shall conform to the following standards, namely: –
Parameters
Parameters Limits
Fermented Soybean curd Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus)
Acidity, as lactic acid % < 1.5 < 1.7
Protein, % by mass, Not less than 3.0 3.0
Fat (% by mass), Not more than 2.0 2.0
pH (Range) 4.0 – 4.5 4.0- 5.0
Total solids, (% by mass), Not less than 10.0 10.0
Urease activity (change in pH), Not more than 0.5 0.5”

 

Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus)

 

  • Preparation Process – Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus) is prepared by lactic acid fermentation of aqueous extract of soybean using mixed cultures of 2 strains, namely, Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. It can also be prepared by mixed culture of Lactobacillus species along with Streptococcus thermophillus.
  • Ingredients – It may be plain or sweetened and/or flavored. It may contain fruits mango/ pine apple/ orange or other fruits. Milk/reconstituted milk may be added in the aqueous extract of soybean. If added, it shall not exceed 25% of the final product.
  • Mandatory declaration on label – In cases where Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus) is prepared without dairy ingredients, “Non-dairy product” declaration shall be made on the label and in cases where it is prepared with dairy ingredients, “With low- dairy ingredients” declaration shall be made on the label.
  • Standards – Fermented Soybean curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus) shall conform to the following standards, namely: –
Limits
Parameters Limits
Fermented Soybean curd Fermented Soybean Curd (made with S. thermophillus + L. bulgaricus)
Acidity, as lactic acid % < 1.5 < 1.7
Protein, % by mass, Not less than 3.0 3.0
Fat (% by mass), Not more than 2.0 2.0
pH (Range) 4.0 – 4.5 4.0- 5.0
Total solids, (% by mass), Not less than 10.0 10.0
Urease activity (change in pH), Not more than 0.5 0.5”

[1] https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/notifications/2022/09/6328012db7fa8Gazette_Notification_FSS_19_09_2022.pdf

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