The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Second Amendment Regulations, 2020, relating to Wheat Bran and Non Fermented Soybean Products including Tofu.
Through this amendment, in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, in regulation 2.4 relating to “Cereals and Cereal Products”, after sub-regulation 2.4.28 relating to “Sago Flour”, sub-regulations 2.4.29. Wheat bran and 2.4.30. Non- fermented soybean products were added.
According to the notified regulation, Wheat Bran is defined as the outer layer of the grain consisting of the combined pericarp and aleurone and it may have adhering endosperm of the wheat kernel.
Also, ‘Wheat Bran’ must adhere with the parameters including moisture % by mass, not more than 12/5%, crude protein on dry basis, % by mass, not less than 9%, and crude fibre, % by weight, not more than 12%.
The regulations define non – fermented soybean products as the products, the main ingredients of which are the soybean or soy derivatives or both, (e.g. soybean flour, soybean concentrates, soybean isolates or defatted soya) and water and are produced without fermentation process. And It shall have the characteristic flavour, colour and texture of the product without any visible foreign matters in the products.
Under the amended regulations, the non-fermented soybean beverages and related products included plain soybean beverage, composite or mixed or flavoured soybean beverages, and soybean – based beverages while soybean curd and related products include semisolid soybean curd, and soybean curd, compressed soybean curd and dehydrated soybean curd film.
The other important soybean product standard defined under these regulations is ‘Tofu’.
According to the notified regulation, Tofu is made by coagulating milky liquid obtained from soybean, and then pressing into soft white blocks. The milky liquid may be coagulated using magnesium chloride (nigari), calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, citric acid, acetic acid, magnesium sulfate and glucono -dlactone, reagents either in combination or individually. The product may contain spices or herbs whose standards are prescribed in sub – regulation 2.9 of Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
The parameters set for Tofu include moisture 76% max by mass, total ash ranging 0.3-2.0%, protein mini 8% by mass on dry basis, fat ranging 2-5%, crude fibre ranging 0.5-6%, acidity (lactic acid) max 1.5% and Urease Index Value at 0.05-0.2pH units rise.
