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Marketing of unapproved products like stevia and sucralose going unchecked in the country; FSSAI reminds food safety commissioners
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Saturday, 06 August, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Irum Khan
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Stevia and sucralose, which are banned as per the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), 1954, and PFA Rules, 1955, are still being used in preparation of food products or being sold as such.
In this regard, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has written to the food safety commissioners of the states and the union territories to advise their enforcement wings to be more vigilant and identify the possible elements indulging in these unwanted practices.
The letter states that stevia as an artificial sweetener is not permitted under the PFA Rules, 1955. Also that sucralose in sugar, which is marketed as low calorie sugar, is not permitted as per the existing food laws.
"In case you come across any such products which is misbranded or marketed with unapproved ingredients/additives may also be brought to the notice of this Authority besides taking legal action in the case of violation of the PFA Act, 1954, and Rules, 1955," stated the letter which was signed by Dhir Singh, assistant director general, PFA.
A source from the India Stevia Association reacted strongly to the letter. He said that at least 40 private labels are into the marketing of stevia in the country. A number of countries across the world are fast approving the product but India still lacks in research and evaluation of the product. India allows other artificial sweeteners for sweetening products but not stevia.
Like Paraguay, where stevia originated from, is promoting the product strongly along with countries like China and Japan. In the US too stevia was approved as dietary supplement in the year 2008 by the U S Department of Agriculture. "When European Food Safety Administration has also given a green signal to the product, there is no point why Indians shall not get benefited by this zero calorie natural sweetener. We need to define proper parameters and guidelines before banning the product," said the source.
Another stevia promoter from Pune said that the product is accepted across the world and that India would soon follow.
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