The union health ministry announced that starting from 1 August, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will be enforcing specific identity standards for basmati rice. These regulatory standards will be comprehensive in nature.
This blog aims to guide you about regulatory standards for basmati rice in depth.
Comprehensive Regulatory Standards for Basmati Rice: Details and Implications
- The FSSAI regulatory standards for Basmati rice also apply to brown Basmati rice, milled Basmati rice, parboiled brown Basmati rice, and milled parboiled Basmati rice.
- The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2023 notified in the Gazette of India specify these standards.
- The Basmati rice must possess a natural fragrance characteristic without any artificial colouring, polishing agents, or fragrances to establish fair trade practices and protect consumer interests domestically and globally.
- The government statement mentions that the standards aim to protect consumer interests and ensure fair practices in Basmati rice trade.
- These standards also specify various identity and quality parameters for Basmati rice, such as the average size of grains, their elongation ratio after cooking, and maximum limits of moisture, amylose content, uric acid, defective/damaged grains, and incidental presence of other non-basmati rice.
- The health ministry release provides further details on the various identity and quality parameters specified for Basmati rice.
You can read about the standards and parameters in detail at: Regulatory Standards for Basmati Rice
Reasons for Notifying Regulatory Standards for Basmati Rice
Basmati rice, known for its premium quality and higher price, is susceptible to various types of adulteration for economic gains, such as blending with non-basmati rice varieties without proper declaration.
To address this issue and ensure the availability of standardised and authentic Basmati rice in domestic and export markets, FSSAI has notified regulatory standards for Basmati rice.
The regulatory standards have been developed in consultation with relevant government departments, agencies, and stakeholders.
In short, the standards aim to combat the adulteration of Basmati rice and promote fair trade practices in the rice industry.
Moreover, if you require any kind of guidance related to the FSSAI Registration, please feel free to contact our business advisors at 8881-069-069.
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