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Gazette standards for non-carbonated water-based beverages notified
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Tuesday, 21 November, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shraddha Joshi, Mumbai
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In a view to expand the scope of non-carbonated water-based beverages, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the gazette notification for Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) to introduce a new novel beverage – flavoured and herbal water - to the Indian market.
As per the gazette notification, the principal regulations include standards for alcoholic and non-alcoholic carbonated beverages. However, through the amendment, the scope of this regulations has been expanded to cover a whole new segment of flavoured and herbal water for the Indian market.
These regulations are called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Tenth Amendment Regulations, 2017.
Microbiological stds
Ashwin Bhadri, chief executive officer, Equinox Labs said, “The draft on non-carbonated water-based beverages came in a few months ago, with certain microbiological standards mentioned.”
“Also, a special mention of submitting toxicological studies, if in case a herb is used which isn't stated in the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations, 2016,” he added.
Bhadri said, “Now the gazette notification of the same has been issued, with modifications. I am sure this will ease the pressure on the food business operators (FBOs). The earlier 5 CFU/ml with respect to the total plate count has now increased to 50 CFU/ml. The special line stating the mandatory presence of a validated label highlights the importance of hygiene, nutritional value and the ingredients.”
Non-carbonated water-based beverages (non-alcoholic) has been defined as, “Those beverages which contain water and conform to the standards prescribed for packaged drinking water under these regulations without added carbon dioxide and may contain any of the following, singly or in combination.”
The notification stated that the use of ingredients like sugar, salt, liquid glucose, dextrose monohydrate, invert sugar, fructose, honey, fruit and vegetable extracts, herbs, spices and their derivatives and permitted flavouring in single presence of the following or in combination.
It provided the usage of caffeine not exceeding 145 parts per million (ppm) from whatsoever sources in the formulations of such product.
Added herbs shall comply with the safety requirements as specified in the Act, and shall also be declared on the label.
Only the food additives in accordance with the provisions of these regulations shall be used. The products covered in these standards shall comply with the microbiological requirements given in Appendix B of these regulations.
The products shall comply with the packaging and labelling requirements as laid down in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.
The draft also said that the data of toxicological analysis need to be provided for its approval for the herbs when added in the beverages.
The microbiological requirements for non-carbonated water based beverage are as follows:
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Serial
Number
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Parameter
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Limits
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1
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Total plate count per ml
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Not more
than 50 CFU per
ml
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2
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Yeast and mould count per ml
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Not more
than 2 CFU per
ml
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3
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Coliform count
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Absent in 100ml
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