The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has given interim relief to Food Business Operators involved in production & manufacturing of honey by allowing the use of Diatomaceous Earth as a processing aid for filtration of honey.
Earlier, the FSSAI had ordered in July that Diatomaceous Earth was prohibited as processing aid.
Now the FSSAI has said that ‘interim relaxation’ is being given to the industry to use Diatomaceous Earth as a processing aid, as the matter is being examined by the FSSAI’s expert committee and until a decision is arrived at, the FBOs can use the said processing aid.
The apex regulator has advised the state food safety authorities that no enforcement action solely on basis of use of the said material as processing aid may be initiated against any FBO manufacturing honey and till then the direction issued on July 31, 2020, is kept in abeyance.
The relaxation for usage of the said processing aid shall not be treated as any relaxation of the notified standards of honey including the requirement of minimum pollen counts and so on, as notified under the FSS, 2011, and through various amendments, reads the order.
Further, the order says that this relaxation does not preclude the food safety officers from routine sampling, surveillance, enforcement and so on in honey.
The July order of apex food regulator has said that ‘In one of the surveillance/enforcement drives, it has come to the notice of the FSSAI that Diatomaceous Earth was being used by some manufacturers as a processing aid of honey.
It was then clarified that Diatomaceous Earth was not allowed as a processing aid in honey manufacturing.