The apex\nfood regulator FSSAI has rolled out FSSAI\u2019s new labelling norms for the bread\nmanufacturers operating pan India. The new norms shall come into effect in May\n2023. This decision will come as a relief for health-conscious masses. It will\nbe interesting to see how unorganized bread makers, which constitute 80 percent\nof the market, respond to this decision. Let\u2019s dig into these norms to find out\ntheir implications on manufacturers as well as consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The whole\nwheat bread must comprise at least 75 percent of whole wheat flour. Meanwhile,\nthis limit for brown bread has been capped at 50 percent. Likewise, companies\nwill also need to ensure that flour content in the multi-grain bread should\ncomprise a certain amount of grains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to\nnew Labelling norms, the amount of grain in the multi-grain\nbread<\/strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup> should not be less than 10 percent in the 1st year of\nenforcement. However, this limit will get doubled, i.e., 20 percent for the\nsubsequent years. As mentioned earlier, the enforcement of these norms will\ntake place next year in May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the name suggests, FSSAI Labelling norms are nothing but a set of regulations about labelling food articles. Labelling, as per FSSAI norms, is mandatory for food business operators in India. To get a better understanding of new Labelling norms, it\u2019s vital to go through the FSSAI\u2019s new Labelling norms. Here\u2019s what the label of the food article should reflect as per the FSSAI\u2019s norms: <\/p>\n\n\n\n A label must\nexplicitly reflect the product name. The font of the text must be legible and\nas per standard norms. The ingredient list is another element to be displayed\non the label. The list should be legit and encompasses all the ingredients used\nto serve different purposes. Misleading consumers with a fake list is a\npunishable offence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is\nanother mandatory inclusion to the food article label. Knowing what calories\ncount a food item offers is important for the end-users. According to FSSAI\nnorms, the food label must reflect the same in detail by covering the added\nnutrients such as carbs, protein, vitamins, etc. The inclusion of calories\ngained from Trans and Saturated fats is also vital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all\nend-users are vegetarians. It\u2018s easy for them to fall for a product lacking a\nlabel that pretends to be vegetarian. Needless to say, consuming such food can\ndisrupt their religious belief and sentiments. That is why FSSAI has mandated\nfood makers to colour code that clarifies whether the given food item is\nvegetarian or not. As per the norms, the red colour code is used to signify\nthat the given food item is non-vegetarian. Meanwhile, the green colour code\nimplies that the given food article is a vegetarian product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additives\nrefer to substances added to a food article to improve its appearance or taste,\nor flavour. The producer must include the additive used, if any, on the Labelling\nfor users\u2019 reference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is\nessential information that every FBO should mention in the food Labelling\nwithout fail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The inclusion\nof customer care detail on the label is a mandatory requirement for every FBO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The label\nmust reflect the accurate net quantity of the food articles in standard units\nacceptable in the Indian marketplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The maximum\nretail price should be clearly mentioned in the given food article. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAn Overview of FSSAI Labelling norms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1.\u00a0<\/strong>The Product name and List of Ingredients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Nutritional Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Declaration Regarding Non-vegetarian or Vegetarian<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Declaration pertaining to Food Additives Used<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Name and Complete Address of the Manufacturer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Customer Care Details<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Quantity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Retail Sale Price<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. FSSAI Logo and License Number<\/h3>\n\n\n\n