FSSAI – the food authority of India has decided to set standards for food colours’ preparations and mixtures in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – as reported in fnbnews.
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The FSSAI has issued a draft for the proposed regulations prescribing the colour preparation and listed diluents or filler material permitted to be used in colour preparations conforming to the prescribed standards.
These include potable water, edible common salt, sugar, dextrose monohydrate, liquid glucose, sodium sulphate, tartaric acid, glycerine, propylene glycol, acetic acid (dilute), sorbitol, citric acid, sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate, lactose, ammonium, sodium and potassium alginates, dextrins, ethyl acetate, starches, diethyl ether, ethanol, glycerol mono, di and tri acetate, edible oils and fats, isopropyl alcohol, bees wax, sodium and ammonium hydroxide, lactic acid, carrageenan and gum arabic, gelatin and pectin.
According to the draft, Colour Preparation means a Preparation containing one or more of the permitted food colours conforming to the prescribed standard along with diluents and/or filler materials and meant to be used for imparting colour to food. It may contain permitted preservatives and stabilisers. The colour preparation would be either in the form of a liquid or powder. Powder preparations shall be reasonably free from lumps and any visible extraneous/foreign matter and liquid preparations shall be free from sediments.
Further the General Requirements under the draft lay down that the total dye content, percent by mass (m/v) in the colour preparation or in the mixture shall be declared on the label of the container.
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“In powder preparations the declared value shall be on moisture-free basis and in case of liquid preparations on as in basis. The total dye content, shall be within the tolerance limits given on the declared value, shall be: (a) Liquid preparation ±15 per cent (b) Solid preparations ±7.5 per cent and it may contain permitted preservatives and stabilisers,” reads the draft.
