The Indian Food Regulator FSSAI has permitted FBOs to use old or new names of pro-biotic strains on the labels until any further order. This is expected to help the food businesses to use old labels without any apprehension of action from the food authority.
The FSSAI order reads – “After due consideration of the representations, it has been decided to allow the use of either old or new names of pro-biotic strains for the product packaging till further order, as it does not compromise with the safety of food products and also allowed by other regulators across the globe.”
The stakeholder FBOs had given a representation before the food authority to permit the use of either old or new names of pro-biotic strains for the product packaging, as the taxonomy of several pro-biotic microorganisms specified under Schedule VII of the FSS (health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use, food for special medical purpose, functional food and novel food) First Amendment Regulations 2021 have been revized in line with the global updating in their names.
The amendment made a provision that these organisms may be used either singly or in combination, but shall be declared on the label with full information and have to be non-GMO.
It is also appropriate to mention that the regulation in question was notified in September 2021 and subsequent direction in October made the provisions that the timeline for compliance related to labelling requirements be extended to 01st July, 2022.