FSSAI, the vertex food regulator of India, has notified the new regulations regarding the fortified and processed food taking into account all the components used in processing of products such as Cereals, Bakery wares and fruit juices. All these regulations are reiterated under the umbrella of Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Food). First Amendment Regulations, 2020. FSSAI, has however excluded the foods that are high on fat, salt and sugar from the ambit of these regulations.
According to these regulations, “Fortified Processed Foods’ means processed foods (i.e., foods that have been altered from its natural state by industrial processing methods) that have undergone the process of fortification as per the provisions of these regulations. The same may have fortified staples as raw materials and/or fortified with permitted micronutrients and additives as specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.”
The regulation explains that ‘Fortified Processed Foods’ may be prepared from fortified food articles that may be cereals and/or milk and shall provide 15-30 per cent of the Indian adult RDA of micronutrient based on an average calorie intake of 600 kcal from processed foods (approximately 1/3rd of daily energy requirement for an adult).
Albeit, foods high on fats sugar and salt, commonly called High fat sugar salt (HFSS) are getting some respite from falling into fortified processed food category.
It is strictly being noted by the FBOs that authority has asked to comply the limits of fortification specified earlier if they are altering it by processing. It also said , widely used staple food ‘atta’ must be fortified with some sort of Multigrain flour, making it more nutritious.
Under ‘Schedule-III’ of these regulations the FSSAI has prescribed standards for fortified processed food that lays limits for fortified cereal products, bakery wares, fruit juices.
Cereal products such as pasta, noodles etc and Bakery wares must be fortified with vitamin B family nutrients, while fruit juices must be infused with Vitamin C.
All these steps are strictly taken by the authority after noticing precarious position of nutrient index of Indian food.
