The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified norms for permissible levels of micronutrients for fortifying processed food products such as breakfast cereals, biscuits, breads, rusks, pasta, noodles, buns and fruit juices.
Salient Features of Notification
- These norms are part of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) First Amendment Regulations, 2020, and will come into effect from July 1, 2021.
- The Fortified Processed Food shall provide 15-30 per cent of the Indian adult RDA (Recommended dietary Allowance) of micronutrient, based on an average calorie intake of 600 kcal from processed foods (approximately a third of daily energy requirement for an adult).
- Companies will be able to fortify the products with iron, folic acid, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin A, among other micronutrients.
- The notification has defined the levels of these vitamins and minerals per 100 gm. For instance, iron levels have been set at 1.4-1.7 mg per 100 gms of cereals.
- permissible levels of nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B1, vitamin B12 and vitamin B3 have been specified in the regulations for biscuits, rusks, breads and buns.
- Fruit juices when fortified shall contain Vitamin C at the levels of 6-12 mg per 100 ml.
- In 2018, FSSAI had notified standards of fortification for five staple product categories — milk, edible oil, rice, flour and salt. It has also launched the ‘F+’ logo to be displayed on labels of fortified food products for easy identification by consumers.
(Source: Business Line)
