FSSAI Issues Draft Standards for Cheese, Ghee, caffeinated beverages, water and additives for public consultation.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has notified the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2025 for public consultation. The draft proposes significant regulatory changes:

1.Cheese Powder Standards Introduced:A new standard (Reg. 2.1.17(a)) defines cheese powder as a dried product derived from cheese or cheese slurry, with key quality requirements as given below:
a)Milk fat (dry basis): minimum 40%
b)Moisture: maximum 5%
c)Salt (NaCl): maximum 5.5%
Products must also meet microbiological safety requirements and comply with the FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.

2.Ghee Fatty Acid Composition Revised:
Updated fatty acid limits, including Palmitic acid (C16:0) 22.0–39.0% and Linolenic acid (C18:3 cis 9,12,15) 0.2–1.5%, for clarity and alignment with nutritional benchmarks.

3.Definition Change: The term “and fish” has been removed from the definition of “animal” under Regulation 2.5.1.

4.Caffeinated Beverages: Sub-item (B) under Regulation 2.10.6 has been omitted, adjusting compositional requirements.

5.Water Standards Strengthened: Borates (as B) limited to 2.4 mg/l in packaged drinking water (Reg. 2.10.8).
New Drinking Water (Purified) standard, including detailed limits for physical, chemical, toxic, radioactive, microbiological, and pesticide parameters.
Notable toxic limits include Lead ≤ 0.01 mg/l, Arsenic ≤ 0.01 mg/l, Cadmium ≤ 0.003 mg/l, Mercury ≤ 0.001 mg/l.
Pesticide Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) specified, e.g., Atrazine ≤ 2 µg/l, Chlorpyriphos ≤ 30 µg/l, Malathion ≤ 190 µg/l.

6.Food Additives Updates:

a)Additive use restricted in atta, rice flour (including fortified rice kernels), millet flour, and mixed millet flour.

b)Sucrose esters of fatty acids (INS 473) added for Mixes for sauces and gravies, with a maximum level of 10,000 mg/kg.

c)Stakeholders may submit objections or suggestions within 60 days to the Chief Executive Officer, FSSAI (regulation@fssai.gov.in)

This amendment marks a critical step in modernizing Indian food standards, strengthening consumer safety, and aligning with Codex Alimentarius and global practices.