The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has framed comprehensive group standards for 15 types of millets, specifying 8 quality parameters that include maximum limits for moisture content, uric acid content, and other edible grains.
Key points
- The FSSAI has specified a comprehensive group standard for millets vide Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Second Amendment Regulations, 2023.
- These new standards will be enforced from September 1, 2023, giving millet producers and processors ample time to prepare for the new regulations and make any necessary changes to their production processes.
- These standards have been prescribed to ensure good quality millets in both domestic and global markets.
- Millets have been a traditional staple food in many parts of India, but currently individual standards for only a few millets such as sorghum (jowar), whole and decorticated pearl millet grain (bajra), finger millet (ragi), and amaranth are prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
- The group standard is applicable to the millets, namely; Amaranthus (Chaulai or Rajgira), Barnyard Millet ((Samakechawal or Sanwa or Jhangora), Brown top (Korale), Buckwheat (Kuttu), Crab finger (Sikiya), Finger Millet (Ragi or Mandua), Fonio (Acha), Foxtail Millet (Kangni or Kakun), Job’s tears (Adlay), Kodo Millet (Kodo), Little Millet (Kutki), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Proso Millet (Cheena), Sorghum (Jowar), Teff (Lovegrass).
