New Delhi, Aug 5 (KNN) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has extended the time period by six months for declaring class title and fat content - Trans-fat content and saturated fat content - on label of the food products.

In a notification issues on May 25, 2016, FSSAI had said that in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011, in regulation relating to ‘Labelling of Pre-packaged Foods’, the name of the specific edible oil such as mustard oil, groundnut oil, etc and also type of vegetable fat (interesterified vegetable fat, hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, edible vegetable fats, margarine and fat spreads, such as mixed fat spreads, vegetable fat spreads”; has to be mentioned under Class Title.

Also, Every package of edible oils, interesterified vegetable fat, both hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, edible fats, margarine and fat spreads (mixed fat spread and vegetable fat spread) and package of food in which fats, oils and fat emulsions is used as an ingredient shall declare the quantity of trans fat content and saturated fat content on the label.

In a notification, the FSSAI said After due consideration of the representations received from various stakeholders, requesting for deferment of implementation of the regulation for the purpose of utilizing the existing stocks of their packaging materials, the timeline for compliance of the notification has been extended for a period of six months up to December 2, 2016.

This, however, issues with the approval of the Competent Authority in exercise of the power vested with Food Authority under clause 5 of Section 16 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, FSSAI added. (KNN Bureau)