Govt issues draft notification to amend PFA rules

New Delhi, June 28 : The Government has issued a draft notification to amend PFA Rules, 1955 revising the standard of creams and exempting milk products from mandatory BIS certification.

The draft notification issued by the Health Ministry says that the PFA rules are being modified to revise the standard of Creams to harmonise with Codex standards.

Mandatory BIS Certification under PFA Rules, 1955 for condensed milk sweetened, condensed skimmed milk sweetened, milk powder, skimmed milk powder, partly skimmed powder and partly skimmed sweetened condensed milk are being exempted.

The notification has been published in Part II, Section 3, sub-section (i) of the Gazette of India Extraordinary vide GSR No.

278 (E) dated May 9, 2006. The details of the notification are available on website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at http://www.mohfw.nic.in/pfa.htm.

Meanwhile, the draft Prevention of Food adulteration (Amendment) Rules, published vide notification GSR 325(E) dated May 29, 2006 in the Gazette of India, are in respect of reducing the maximum limit of Erythrosine and Sunset Yellow FCF synthetic colours in sweets and beverages and to allow use of mono and diglycerides in infant formula as per Codex level.

It is aimed to reduce the maximum limit of Erythrosine/sunset Yellow FCF synthetic food colours permitted in sweets from 100ppm to 50ppm and from 200ppm to 25ppm in beverages. This was recommended by Central Committee for Food Standards keeping in view of the low ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) of these colours specified by JECFA (Joint Expert Committee of FAO/WHO on Food Additives) as well as intake of these foods.

It also allows use of Mono and Diglycerides in infant formula up to maximum level 0.4gm/100ml of ready to serve formula which is in harmonisation with Codex level.

The draft rules are published for inviting public comments with in a period of 60 days from the date of availability of the notification to the public. Comments if any, may be sent to Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi within the stipulated time period.

UNI