TAD News Desk, NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has strictly directed manufacturers to avoid intermixing of mustard oil with other edible oils. The new order will come in effect from October 1, 2020. The fact that mustard oil is one of the few oils in India which is pure and healthy for our body and heart is a consequential reason behind the decision of FSSAI to secure the consumption of the same across the country.
The oil contains less amount of fatty acids and has higher contents of vitamin D and Vitamin E. Various cardiologists, dieticians and nutritionists highly recommend this oil for cooking purposes. Some of the advantages of mustard oil include its detoxifying qualities along with the ability to improve health, immunity, skin and stamina.
As per the previous rules, the oil companies had the freedom to add 20% of other vegetable oils to the mustard oil. However, due to the sudden increase in its price, people raised doubts regarding its wholesomeness. The concern gave rise to panic amongst the people who questioned its dilution or homogeneity. As a result, the food authorities surveyed at the beginning of 2020. The inspection began by gathering over 4500 varieties of consumable oils as samples. The samples oils constituted branded or unbranded, national or local brands.
So far, the survey is one of the significant steps by the authorities to verify the quality of mustard oil circulated across the country by manufacturers and sellers to its consumers. The FSSAI is yet to finish the protocols and guidelines regarding the prohibition. However, the FSSAI has planned to functionalize the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2020. It took the step to implement the new rule from October 1 to avoid further delay in providing safety to the public.
In the recent order, the FSSAI mentioned, “No manufacturing of blended edible vegetable oil with mustard oil as an ingredient will be allowed with effect from October 1, 2020”. As per the FSSAI guidelines, there will be a change in the composition of mustard oil used for domestic purposes. The newly published guidelines of the FSSAI shall forbid the sales of certain admixtures that fall under “any blended edible oil containing mustard oil.”
The order further added, “The Government of India, after due deliberation has directed Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to prohibit blending in mustard oil and to facilitate manufacture and sale of pure mustard oil for domestic consumption in public interest.”
In a country like India, spices and oils are used extensively for cooking purposes. Hence, the authorities must keep a check on these manufacturers and traders to avoid the health risks of the consumers.
