The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new permissible lead limits for canned fruits and vegetables or packaged pulses, wheat, and meat products.
The proposed amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations 2011 include new permissible lead limits ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 ppm.
This has also increased the 'specified' categories of items from the existing 30-40 to 70-80 by shifting products from 'non-specified' to 'specified'.
Centre for Science and Environment Food Safety Programme head Amit Khurana was quoted by The Hindu Businesslien as saying: "This is a good move by the food regulator. Permissible levels for metal contaminants for a lot of the categories had not been specified and this brings clarity with the addition of new categories."
The altered law, when put info effect, may increase the need for a more rigorous testing of products by the companies.
The food safety agency is also proposing certain changes, which will require the food companies to declare information about trans fat on product labels.
FSSAI has also proposed fixing of maximum permissible limit of melamine content in milk and related products, and biotoxins in fish and fish products.