In a Gazette Notification dated 2nd September, 2020, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (“FSSAI”) has amended the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 (“Regulations”).
Food Business Operators (“FBOs”) must comply with all the provisions of these Regulations by 1st July, 2021.
By way of this amendment, the following food products have been added under these Regulations such as Lactose Free Milk and Mozzarella Cheese along with standards for Dairy Permeate Powders.
The amendments are provided in detail as below.
Amendment
In sub-regulation 2.1.2 relating to “Standard for Milk” –
In item 1 relating to “Description”, after sub-item (c), the following sub-item will be inserted –
“(d) Low Lactose or Lactose free milk.- Description.- Low Lactose or Lactose free milk means the product prepared from any type of milk specified in sub-item (a), (b) and (c) above, in which, lactose content has been reduced significantly through hydrolysis by enzymatic or any other appropriate process. The fat and SNF content of milk used for preparation shall conform to the respective composition given in table under sub-item (b) of item 2. The product may be subjected to pasteurization, boiling, sterilisation or ultra-high temperature and shall conform to the following requirements:-
- “Low lactose milk” shall have less than 1% lactose; and
- “Lactose free milk” shall have less than 0.1% lactose.”
- In item 6 relating to “Labelling”, after sub-item (a),the following sub-item will be inserted –
“(aa) In case of low lactose or lactose free milk, the name of the product may be Low Lactose or Lactose Free………………….milk, wherein the blank will be filled by the name of the respective milk from which it is prepared.”
In sub-regulation 2.1.17 relating to “Standard for Cheese and Cheese Products”, in item 1, in sub-item (a), after the entries the following will entries will be inserted –
“(aq) “Mozzarella cheese‟ means unripened cheese obtained by coagulating milk with cultures of harmless lactic acid producing bacteria, suitable enzymes of non-animal origin or by direct acidification. It is a smooth elastic cheese with a long stranded parallel- orientated fibrous protein structure without evidence of curd granules. The cheese is rindless and may be formed into various shapes. (i) Mozzarella with a high moisture content is a soft cheese with overlying layers that may form pockets containing liquid of milky appearance. The cheese has a near white colour. (ii) Mozzarella with low moisture content is a firm or semi-hard homogeneous cheese without holes and is suitable for shredding. Mozzarella is made by „pasta filata‟ processing, which consists of heating curd of a suitable pH value kneading and stretching until the curd is smooth and free from lumps. Still warm, the curd is cut and moulded, then firmed by cooling.”
After sub-regulation 2.1.23 relating to “Standards for Colostrum and Colostrum Products”, the following sub-regulation will be inserted –
“2.1.24 Standards for Dairy Permeate Powders”
Note– All details pertaining to this product such as description, essential composition, labelling etc. has been added under this sub-regulation.
Source : Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
