New Draft Norms to Include Amendment on Permission for 2% Khesari Dal

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued draft regulations to include amendment with respect to permission of incidental presence of 2% Khesari Dal in grams/pulses. Called the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2020, this regulation will allow sale of pulses containing incidental presence of Khesari Gram Dal (lathyrus sativus) or any edible grain. According to the draft, in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, in regulation 2.2 regarding restriction on use of certain ingredient, after sub-regulation 2.2.1, following shall be inserted, namely- “2.2.2 Notwithstanding the condition at 2.2.1, the maximum allowed limits for any incidentally occurring Khesari Dal in grams /pulses shall be not more than 2% including other edible grains”. The apex food regulator, in June this year, had issued an order and immediately operationalised the amendment notification to insert a proviso with respect to incidental presence of Khesari Gram/dal in pulses no more than 2% by mass. Grain traders say that Khesari Gram Dal grows as weeds with pulses’ plants and is very difficult to separate post-harvest. And it was a long pending demand that was met now. Meanwhile, FSSAI was in receipt of several representations from grain traders across the country seeking permission to allow 2% of Khesari Dal in procurement of dal/pulses. And consequently, a consultative meeting was held between the Union Health Minister and the Agriculture Minister where it was decided to allow 2% Khesari Dal including all other edible grains as incidental in pulses for which the draft regulation was issued.