Food companies will have to label packaged fruit juices as ‘sweetened fruit juices’ when the product has sugar or syrup as an ingredient, according to a recent specification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), in order to use its certification.
Depending on whether the product is in the category of fruit juice or concentrate, it has to be labelled as either “sugar(s) added” after the fruit juice or mixed fruit juice’s name or use ‘Sweetened fruit juices’ if sugar is added to juices in amount more than 15 g per kilogram of juice, the specifications said. All these terms must be used in close proximity to the name so that they can be spotted easily by consumers, it added.
“Indian Standard has been formulated as a single comprehensive standard covering all types of fruit juices, fruit purees, fruit nectars and related products to provide the necessary guidelines to manufacturers and consumers for maintaining quality control,” said the specifications that have been put in the public domain by the BIS for inviting comments from the food industry and other stakeholders.
A food industry executive said that while certain specifications of BIS are in sync with the regulations of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, those related to the labelling of sweeteners vary.
“There is a consolidation of food standards under the FSS Act, therefore, any other food standards create confusion,” Subodh Jindal, president, All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA), said.
However, BIS said its specifications have considered the existing regulations.“In the formulation of this standard, due consideration has been given to the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and rules framed thereunder and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. However, this standard is subject to the restrictions imposed under these, wherever applicable,” the document said.
Courtesy: Economic Times