FSSAI Prepares Draft Standards For Spices

FSSAI as an addition to standards regulations for spices has released draft for Mixed Masala Powder, Spice Oleoresins, Tejpat, Star Anise and Phytostanol. The guidelines are open for comments from the industry. Following are the proposed standards:

1. Mixed Masala Powder

The Mixed Masala Powder is proposed to be introduced in the FSSAI regulations. The definition elaborates Mixed masala powder as ‘the powder obtained from grinding clean and dried spices and herbs, including their extracts. It may contain ingredients such as edible starches, edible salt, dried fruits and vegetables or their products, edible vegetable oil and fats or their products, nuts and their products, cereals and pulses or their products, nutritive or non-nutritive sweeteners. It may also contain other ingredients suitable to the product.’

The spices used must be standardized or permitted for use in other standardized foods under FSSAI or it can also be covered under the spices and herbs list of The Spices Board of India or Functional food regulations under FSSAI.

It Mixed Masala Powder must be free from extraneous matter, mold growth and insect infestation and shall meet the following specifications:

S. No.	Characteristic	Requirement
		High spice mixed masala powder	Medium spice mixed masala powder	Low spice mixed masala powder
1	Spice Content, percent by mass (Minimum)	85.0	40.0	25.0
2	Moisture, percent by mass(Maximum)	10.0	10.0	10.0
3	Volatile oil, percent volume by mass(on dry basis) (Minimum)	0.4	0.2	0.1
4	Non-volatile ether extract percent by mass (on dry basis) (Minimum)	10.0	5.0	3.0
5	Acid Insoluble Ash percent by mass (on dry basis) (Maximum)	1.5	1.5	1.5

 

In addition to the name of specific product such as Chana masala, Sambhar masala, etc., labelling must also specify ‘High Spice’ or ‘Medium spice’ or ‘Low Spice mixed masala powder’. The product must meet the characteristic requirement of guidelines.

2. Spice Oleoresins

FSSAI defines Spice Oleoresins as the volatile and non-volatile constituents of spices/ herbs. These shall be obtained by extraction of the spice/herb with permitted food grade solvent(s), either singly or in combination, followed by separation of solvent(s) and volatile portion. The non-volatile portion after separation of the solvent shall be added back to the volatile portion.

Several permitted food grade solvents have been specified with their proposed residual limits as below:

S. No.	Solvent	Limit (Max, in ppm)
(i)	Acetone	30
(ii)	Ethyl Acetate	50
(iii)	Hexane	25
(iv)	Isopropyl alcohol	30
(v)	Methyl alcohol	50
(vi)	Carbon dioxide	GMP
(vii)	Water	GMP
(viii)	Diethyl Ether	2
(ix)	Ethyl alcohol	GMP
(x)	Butan-1-ol	2
(xi)	Butan-2-ol	2
(xii)	Propan-1-ol	1
(xiii)	Methyl tert-butyl ether	2

Spice oleoresins from various spices with their Botanical names, active components and its Volatile Oil Content (VOC) is mentioned in the guidelines. The listed spices are- Ajowan or Bishop’s weed, Allspice, Aniseed, Black Pepper, Basil, Capsicum, Caraway, Cardamom (Small), Celery, Chilli, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Coriander, Cumin, Dill seed, Fennel, Ginger, Laurel Leaf / Bay Leaf, Mace, Marjoram Sweet, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley Leaf, Parsley Seed, Rosemary, Star Anise,  Thyme, Turmeric and White Pepper.

3. Tejpat

Tejpat also known as Tejpatta, Malabar leaf, Bay leaf in India, means the dried leaves of the tree Cinnamomum tamala, Nees and Ebermof family Lauraceae. It must havethe characteristic aroma, must be clean, free from musty odour according to FSSAI. The apex body also gave importance on off-flavor, mold growth, insect infestation, rodent contamination and admixture of other leaves. The characteristic requirements for other impurities are specified in these regulations for Tejpat as below:

S. No.	Characteristics	Requirements
1	Moisture content, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	10.0
2	Extraneous matter, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	1.0
3	Shrivelled and dis-coloured leaves, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	10.0
4	Cut and broken leaves, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	20.0
5	Insect bored and diseased leaves, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	10.0
6	Twigs, leaf stalk, percent by mass, on dry basis (Maximum)	5.0
7	Volatile oil content, (ml/100g) on dry basis (Minimum)	0.5
8	Uric acid, mg/kg, on dry basis (Maximum)	100.0

4. Star Anise

Star Anise means the dried mature fruit of the tree Illicium verum of the family Illiaceae. The fruit shall comprise of boat-shaped follicles arranged radially around a central stalk, all brownish red or reddish brown in color. It shall have a characteristic odour and an aromatic, sweet and anise-like flavour. It must be free from molds, living and dead insects, insect fragments and rodent contamination visible to the naked eye. The characteristic requirements for other impurities have also been specified in these regulations for Star Anise as below:

S. No	Characteristics	Requirements
1	Extraneous matter, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum)	1.0
2	Stalks, percent by masson dry basis (Maximum)	3.0
3	Broken and abnormal fruits, percent by masson dry basis	25.0
4	Moisture content, percent by masson dry basis (Maximum)	10.0
5	Acid insoluble ash, percent by mass on dry basis (Maximum)	1.0
6	Volatile oil, percent (ml/100 g) on dry basis (Minimum)	8.0

This draft regulation also gives the definitions of various contaminants in these spices.

Reference:

1. Draft Regulations for standards of standards of Rice, Basmati Rice, Chia Seeds, Gari (Cassava product), Edible Cassava Flour, Roasted Bengal Gram Flour -Chana Sattu, Ragi Flour, Almond Kernels, Coconut Milk Powder (Non Dairy), Mixed Masala Powder, Spice Oleoresins, Tejpat, Star Anise and Phytostanol. File No. Stds/CPL & CP/Notification/01/FSSAI-2017. Dated- 15 November 2017