The FSSAI has decided to make the provisions of the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purposes, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022, work again starting October 1, 2022.
According to the FSSAI, it was done because it would take more time to inform people about these rules. The order says, “As the finalization of these draft regulations is likely to take some more time before they are notified, it has been decided to re-operationalize the provisions of these regulations as specified in the direction dated March 29, 2022, together with the provisions specified in the direction dated May 10, 2022, with effect from October 1, 2022.”
The order from May 2022 was about allowing more food additives, enzymes, and proteins to be used in health supplements. As was already said, the 2022 regulations will replace the 2016 regulations.
According to the FSSAI, this was done to change the whole sector and make it more “stakeholder-friendly.” Articles of food that fall under these regulations are specially processed or made for specific nutritional or dietary purposes and should be easy to tell apart from foods meant for normal consumption. These regulations will help the nutraceutical sector have clear guidelines and help field functionaries make sure compliance is better.
The proposed regulation says that the products must have approved ingredients appropriate for different foods. These ingredients will be listed by the Food Authority in different schedules, such as Schedule I: nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients); Schedule II: plants or botanicals; Schedule III: molecules, isolates, or extracts other than those in Schedule II; and Schedule IV: prebiotics and probiotics.
Aside from additives, categories covered by these rules may also include other ingredients that are either standard or allowed to be used in the preparation of other standard foods.