FSSAI announced to loosen up norms for carbonated drinks

FSSAI statements 

The regulators of Food safety made norms easier for carbonated drinks and fruit juices by allowing the lesser content of later in a declaration to prop up beverage companies to mix with fruit juices in their products. The FSSAI has invited comments and suggestions from WTO-SPS Member Countries as well as stakeholders within a period of 30 days from 29 June 2016.  Once published in the official gazettes the amendment will be called Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2016 related to non-carbonated water-based beverages of a non-alcoholic nature.

The statements made by FSSAI after looking up comments made by stakeholders in its DRAFT Notification is that if in case the quantity of fruit juice used is less than between 5-10%  (2.5% lime), then the products will be addressed as carbonated beverages with fruit juice. In these cases, the requirement of TSS (Total Soluble Solids) shall not apply and the amount of fruit juice will be stated on the label.

The Indian Beverage Association wants that the minimum amount of 10% of TSS in these carbonated drinks should be revised to 3%. TSS is one of the measures of quality of fruit juice with higher & better subject to reduce the availability of added sugars and other thickening agents.

These notifications have been released by FSSAI after a year where Prime Minister requested Multimedia Cola giants to mix fruit juices with their drinks to boost the Indian farmer sales. However, the beverage production units wanted to ease these norms of lessening the amount of fruit pulp to be used to 10% and 5% in the case of lime.

As a result of this norm, Coca-Cola launched a new product called  “Juice with Fizz” Beverage. For FSSAI online registration, ping LegalRaasta team.

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