FNB News - Regulations for tea in India

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BEVERAGE

Regulations for tea in India

Wednesday, 22 December, 2021, 12 : 00 PM [IST]

Ekta Jain

Tea is one of the oldest beverages and the tea industry is one of the oldest and largest in the world with Indians being the second-largest consumers of tea. The large Indian population has thereby allowed various new brands to explore the tea industry.

The tea industry, under the Act of Parliament, is in the control of the Union Government. Several authorities have been set up to regulate the tea industry in India.

The Tea Board of India is a regulatory agency designated by Government of India through Section 4 of the Tea Act, 1953. It strives to promote the domestic trade, export, cultivation, and processing of tea in India.

Trustea is an initiative led by the Tea Board of India and together funded by The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and Tata Global Beverages Limited (TGBL).

It aims to create and implement a sustainability code for the Indian domestic tea market and transform the Indian tea industry based on industry realities and globally acknowledged sustainability principles.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), is the apex statutory authority created for applying scientific standards for the manufacture, processing, storage, importing, and distribution of different food products in the country.

With the increasing number of tea brands, FSSAI is also taking measures to ensure the sale and production of only good and safe quality of tea.

Regulations and standards every tea business prospect should be acquainted with:
1. FSSAI has defined ‘Tea’ as the tea obtained by acceptable processes, exclusively from the leaves, buds, and tender stems of the Camelliasinensis plant. It can be in the form of Oolong or Black Tea.
2. The tea brands may use origin claims for the single-origin tea leaves, and as per the Tea Board -Kangra Tea, grown in Kangra and Mandi valleys of Himachal Pradesh, has separate standards.
3. The standards for Green Tea have also been listed by FSSAI.
4. FSSAI prohibits the use of any colouring substance in tea.
5. FSSAI has permitted the use of 0.2% pectinase enzyme for the enhancement of flavouring characteristics in tea.
6. The labelling information for tea should follow the FSSAI Labelling Regulations, Advertisement and Claims Regulations, and Packaging Regulations.
7. The use of ‘natural flavours’ and ‘natural flavouring substances’ is allowed in tea.
8. For flavoured teas, the tea used shall also conform to the standards of tea. Flavoured tea manufacturers need to mandatorily register with the Tea Board. The manufacturer needs to display the Tea Board registration number on the label.
9. Like all the other food business operators, all tea businesses are also required to obtain an FSSAI license for all kinds of activities i.e. manufacturing, marketing, retail, export.

10. Being a product of plant origin, the manufacture needs to ensure that the product is free from impurities, extraneous matter, and any infestation from pests.

Tea businesses in India are thriving with the increasing number of consumers. However, for the maintenance of business, adherence to the regulations is a must. That means the product is emanated solely and exclusively, and made by acceptable processes, notably enzyme, inactivation, rolling or comminution and drying, from the leaves, buds, and tender stems of varieties of the species Camellia sinensis, known to be fit for making tea for consumption as a beverage.
The products should have distinctive flavour, free from any off odour, taint, and mustiness.It should be free from living or dead insects, moulds, insect fragments, and rodent contamination.

FSSAI Regulation for Tea:
The product should conform to the following requirement in which all the figures given are expressed based on the material oven-dried at 103±2°C.
1)   Total Ash (m/m)Not less than 4.0 percent and not more than 8.0 percent
2)   Water Soluble Ash Not less than 45.0 percent of total ash
3)   Alkalinity of water-soluble ash expressed as KOH (m/m)Not less than 1.0 percent and not more than 3.0 percent
4)   Acid-insoluble ash (m/m)Not more than 1.0 percent
5)   Water extract (m/m)Not less than 32.0 percent
6)   Crude Fibre(m/m)Not more than 16.5 percent
7)   Total catechins(m/m)Not less than 9.0 percent and not more than 19.0 percent

Account may be taken of characteristics such as:

The appearance of the tea before the preparation of a liquor.
The appearance of the infused leaf.
Appearance, odour, and taste of the liquor.

An expert tea taster can assess whether it would be unlikely to comply with the chemical requirements. The ability of the countries that currently do not follow this standard to adjust would determine their competitiveness and continued presence in the world tea market.

Sanitary and hygienic requirements for food manufacturer / processor

The place where food is manufactured, processed, or handled shall comply with sanitary and hygienic requirements:
The premises shall be located in a sanitary place and free from improper surroundings and should keep an overall hygienic environment.
All new units should be set up away from environmentally polluted areas.
The premise to conduct food business for manufacturing should have adequate space for manufacturing and storage.
The premises shall be clean, sufficiently lighted and ventilated, and adequate free space for movement.
Floors, Ceilings, and walls must be maintained in a sound condition.
They should be smooth and easy to clean with no flaking paint or plaster The floor and skirted walls shall be washed as per the requirement with an effective disinfectant. The premises all be kept free of insects.
No spraying shall be done during the conduct of business.
The water used in the manufacturing shall be drinkable and if required chemical and bacteriological examination of the water shall be done at regular intervals at any recognized laboratory.
A continuous supply of potable water shall be ensured on the premises.
In the case of irregular water supply, satisfactory storage arrangements for water used in food or washing shall be made.
Equipment and machinery when employed shall be of such design which will permit easy cleaning.
Arrangements for cleaning of containers, tables, working parts of machinery, shall be provided.
No vessel, container, or other equipment, the use of which is likely to cause metallic contamination injurious to health shall be employed in the preparation, packing, or storage of food. (Copper or brass vessels shall have proper lining).
All Equipment shall be kept clean, washed, dried, and stacked at the close of business to ensure freedom from the growth of mould/ fungi and infestation.
All Equipment shall be placed well away from the walls to allow proper inspection.
There should be an efficient drainage system and there shall be adequate provisions for disposal of refuse.
The workers working in processing and preparation shall use clean aprons, hand gloves, and head wears.
All food handlers should avoid wearing, false nails or other items or loose jewellery that might fall into food and also avoid touching their face or ha
Persons suffering from infectious diseases shall not be permitted to work. Any cuts or wounds shall remain covered at all times and the person should not be allowed to come into indirect contact with food. All food handlers should maintain hygiene.
Eating, chewing, smoking, spitting and nose blowing shall be prohibited within the premises especially while handling food .
All articles that are stored or are intended for sale shall be fit for consumption and have proper cover to avoid contamination.
Insecticides / disinfectants shall be kept and stored separately and away from food manufacturing / storing/ handling areas.