FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), the vertex food regulator, has published an order banning the manufacturing of blended edible vegetable oil in mustard oil. The order is expected to take its hold from October 1, 2020.
Under the standards for blended vegetable oil in regard to FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations of 2011, the apex food regulator was allowing 20% blending in mustard oil until now.
However, the Government of India has ordered the FSSAI to restrain the process on blending in mustard oil and promote the processing and sale of pure mustard oil for domestic use.
Considering this issue, FSSAI has planned to bring in a modification titled as Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2020. A new condition has been added for ban on sale of any blended edible vegetable oil containing mustard oil, under this amendment.
The FSSAI order declared- “The draft regulations in this regard are in process of being notified and the process of finalization is likely to take a little more time. To put the direction of the Government of India in effect, it has been intended to make this regulation operational with effect from 1st October 2020.”
The order notified that from 1st October, no manufacturing of blended vegetable oil with mustard oil as an ingredient shall be allowed.
All the FBOs who have the license for production of blended mustard oil were requested to sell their stocks as unblended oil and they may apply for the alteration of their FSSAI license which will should mandatorily be processed and approved by the concerned designated officers swiftly, as per the order statement.
Within 3 days from the date of submission of the application, the licensing authorities should complete their application for license modification, FSSAI commanded.