What is Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011?
This is a Central Food Regulation drafted by Food Authority in accordance with Section 92 (1) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Regulation explain allowable quantity of contaminants, toxins and residues in food articles.
Purpose of Food Regulations
These Regulations are being drafted to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption by regulating the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import etc of food articles.
Clause 2.1 – Metal Contaminants in Food Articles
Clause 2.1 of the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, prescribes limits for metal contaminants in food articles. It mandates that chemicals listed in the Indian Pharmacopoeia, when used in food, must not exceed the permissible metal limits specified therein. Furthermore, it explicitly
restricts the presence of specific metals in various food items.
METAL CONTAMINANTS
Name of metal contaminant | Article of food | Parts per Million (mg/kg or mg/L) |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
`1. Lead | Agar | 5.0 |
Alginic acid | 5.0 | |
All types of sugars, sugar syrup, invert sugar and direct consumption coloured sugars with sulphated ash content exceeding 1.0 percent | 5.0 | |
Alumina used in preparation of lake colour | 10 | |
Aluminium lake of Sunset Yellow FCF | 10 | |
Ammonium hydrogen carbonate | 2.0 | |
Anhydrous dextrose and dextrose monohydrate, refined white sugar (sulphated ash content not exceeding 0.03 per cent) | 0.5 | |
Annatto | 10 | |
Ascorbic acid | 2.0 | |
Ascorbyl palmitate | 2.0 | |
Aspertame (Aspartyl phenyl alanine methyl ester) | 10 | |
Assorted subtropical fruits, edible peel | 0.1 | |
Assorted subtropical fruits, inedible peel | 0.1 | |
Baking powder | 10 | |
Benzoic acid | 2.0 | |
Berries and other small fruits | 0.2 | |
Beta-apo-8’-carotenal | 2.0 | |
Beta-carotene | 10 | |
Bivalve molluscs | 1.5 | |
Brassica vegetables excluding Kale | 0.3 | |
Brewed vinegar and synthetic vinegar | 0.01 | |
Brilliant blue FCF | 10 | |
Bulb vegetables | 0.1 | |
Butylated hydroxyanisole | 2.0 | |
Calcium alginate | 5.0 | |
Calcium propionate | 5.0 | |
Canned carrots | 1.0 | |
Canned green beans and canned wax beans | 1.0 | |
Canned green peas | 1.0 | |
Canned mushrooms | 1.0 | |
Canned palmito | 1.0 | |
Canned sweetcorn | 1.0 | |
Canned tomatoes | 1.0 | |
Canned asparagus | 1.0 | |
Canned chestnuts and canned chestnut purée | 1.0 | |
Canned fish, canned meats, edible gelatin, meat extracts and hydrolysed protein, dried or dehydrated vegetables (other than onions) | 5.0 | |
Canned fruit cocktail | 1.0 | |
Canned grapefruit | 1.0 | |
Canned mandarin oranges | 1.0 | |
Canned mangoes | 1.0 | |
Canned mature processed peas | 1.0 | |
Canned pineapple | 1.0 | |
Canned raspberries | 1.0 | |
Canned strawberries | 1.0 | |
Canned tropical fruit salad | 1.0 | |
Caramel | 5.0 | |
Carbonated water , expressed in mg/L | 10 | |
Carmoisine | 10 | |
Carrageenan | 5.0 | |
Cattle, edible offal of | 0.5 | |
Cephalopods | 1.0 | |
Cereal grains, except buckwheat, canihua and quinoa | 0.2 | |
Chlorophyll | 10 | |
Citric acid | 0.5 | |
Citrus fruits | 0.1 | |
Cocoa powder | 5.0 on dry fat free substance basis | |
Concentrated soft drinks (but not including concentrates used in the manufacture of soft drinks) | 0.5 | |
Concentrates used in the manufacture of soft drinks, lime juice and lemon juice | 2.0 | |
Corned beef, Luncheon meat, Cooked ham, Chopped meat, Canned chicken, Canned mutton and Goat meat and other related meat products | 2.5 | |
Crustaceans | 0.5 | |
Dehydrated onions, dried herbs and spices, curry powder and mix masalas, flavourings, alginic acid, alignates, agar, carrageen and similar products derived from seaweed | 10 on dry matter basis | |
Dicalcium phosphate | 4.0 | |
Dodecyl gallate | 2.0 | |
Edible fats and oils (edible fats and oils not covered by individual standards) | 0.1 | |
Edible molasses, caramel liquid, solid glucose and starch conversion products with a sulphated ash content exceeding 1.0 per cent | 5.0 | |
Edible oils and fats | 0.5 | |
Erythrosine | 10 | |
Ethylester of Beta-apo-8′-carotenoic acid | 2.0 | |
Fast green FCF | 10 | |
Fish | 0.3 | |
Food colours other than caramel | 10 on dry colouring matter basis | |
Foods not specified | 2.5 | |
Fruit and vegetable juice (including tomato juice, but not including lime juice and lemon juice) | 1.0 | |
Fruit Juices (including nectars; ready to drink) | 0.05 | |
Fruiting vegetables other than cucurbits(excluding mushrooms) | 0.1 | |
Fruiting vegetables, cucurbits | 0.1 | |
Fumaric acid | 2.0 | |
Gaur gum | 2.0 | |
Glycerol esters of Wood rosin | 1.0 | |
Gum Arabic or Acacia gum | 3.0 | |
Gum ghatti | 5.0 | |
Gum karaya | 2.0 | |
Hard boiled sugar confectionery | 2.0 | |
Ice-cream, iced lollies and similar frozen confections | 1.0 | |
Indigo carmine | 10 | |
Infant formula (ready to use) | 0.02 | |
Infant milk substitutes and Infant foods | 0.2 | |
Iron fortified common salt | 2.0 | |
Jam (fruit preserves) and jellies | 1.0 | |
L (+) -Tartaric acid | 2.0 | |
Lactic acid | 2.0 | |
Leafy vegetables (including brassica leafy vegetables but excluding spinach) | 0.3 | |
Legume vegetables | 0.2 | |
Liquid pectin, chemicals not otherwise specified, used as ingredients or in the preparation or processing of food | 10 | |
Malic acid | 2.0 | |
Mango chutney | 1.0 | |
Margarine | 0.1 | |
Meat of cattle, sheep and pig (also applies to fat from meat) | 0.1 | |
Milks (Concentration factor shall be applied to partially or wholly dehydrated milks) | 0.02 | |
Minarine (Low Fat Spread) | 0.1 | |
Mineral Oil (High viscosity) | 1.0 | |
Mineral Oil (Low viscosity) | 1.0 | |
Monosodium L-glutamate | 1.0 | |
Named Animal fats (lard, rendered pork fat, premier jus (suet) and edible tallow) | 0.1 | |
Natural mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.01 | |
Octyl gallate | 2.0 | |
Olive oil, Virgin olive oil, Extra virgin olive oil, Ordinary virgin olive oil, Refined olive oil, Refined olive pomace oil and Olive pomace oil | 0.1 | |
Other vegetables | 2.5 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.01 | |
Pectin | 2.0 | |
Phosphoric acid | 4.0 | |
Pickled cucumbers (Cucumber pickles) | 1.0 | |
Pig, edible offal of | 0.5 | |
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids | 2.0 | |
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid | 2.0 | |
Pome fruits | 0.1 | |
Ponceau 4R | 10 | |
Potassium iodate | 10 | |
Potassium metabisulphite | 2.0 | |
Potassium nitrate | 2.0 | |
Potassium nitrite | 2.0 | |
Poultry fats | 0.1 | |
Poultry meat | 0.1 | |
Poultry, edible offal of | 0.5 | |
Processed tomato concentrates | 1.5 | |
Propyl gallate | 2.0 | |
Propylene glycol | 2.0 | |
Pulses | 0.2 | |
Raw sugars except those sold for direct consumption or used for manufacturing purpose other than the manufacture of refined sugar | 5.0 | |
Riboflavin | 20 | |
Root and tuber vegetables | 0.1 | |
Saccharin sodium | 10 | |
Salt, food grade | 2.0 | |
Secondary milk products (as consumed) | 0.02 | |
Sodium alginate | 5.0 | |
Sodium ascorbate | 2.0 | |
Sodium benzoate | 2.0 | |
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose | 2.0 | |
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, enzyme hydrolysed | 3.0 | |
Sodium hydroxide | 2.0 | |
Sodium metabisulphite | 2.0 | |
Sodium propionate | 5.0 | |
Solid pectin | 50 | |
Sorbic acid | 2.0 | |
Sorbitol | 1.0 | |
Steviol glycoside | 1.0 | |
Stone fruits | 0.1 | |
Sucralose | 10 | |
Sulphur dioxide | 5.0 | |
Sunset yellow | 10 | |
Sunset yellow dye used in preparation of lake colour | 10 | |
Synthetic food colour-preparation and mixtures | 10 | |
Table olives | 1.0 | |
Tartrazine | 10 | |
Tea | 5.0 on dry matter basis | |
Titanium dioxide | 2.0 | |
Tragacanth gum | 2.0 | |
Trisodium citrate | 2.0 | |
Turmeric whole and powder | 10 | |
Vegetable Oils, crude (oils of arachis (Groundnut), babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rape seed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein and other oils but excluding cocoa butter) | 0.1 | |
Vegetable Oils, edible (oils of arachis (Groundnut), babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rape seed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein and other oils but | 0.1 | |
excluding cocoa butter) |
| |
Wine | 0.2 | |
Yeast and yeast products | 5.0 on dry matter basis | |
2. Copper | Ammonium hydrogen carbonate | 5.0 |
Annatto | 30 | |
Brewed vinegar and synthetic vinegar | 0.01 | |
Caramel | 20 | |
Carbonated water , expressed in mg/L | 1.5 | |
Chicory-dried or roasted, coffee beans, flavourings/pectin liquid |
30 | |
Chlorophyll | 30 | |
Cocoa powder | 70 on fat free substance basis | |
Colouring matter | 30 on dry colouring matter basis | |
Concentrates for soft drinks | 20 | |
Edible gelatin | 30 | |
Foods not specified | 30 | |
Hard boiled sugar confectionery | 5.0 | |
Infant milk substitute and Infant foods | 15 (But not less than 2.8) | |
Iron fortified common salt | 2.0 | |
Juice of orange, grape, apple, tomato, pineapple and lemon | 5.0 | |
Mineral water , expressed in mg/L | 1.0 | |
Olive oil, Virgin olive oil ,Extra virgin olive oil, Ordinary virgin olive oil, Refined olive oil, Refined olive pomace oil and Olive pomace oil |
0.1 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.05 | |
Solid Pectin | 300 | |
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids | 25 | |
Polyglycerol esters of Interesterified ricinoleic acid |
25 | |
Pulp and pulp products of any fruit | 5.0 | |
Soft drinks excluding concentrates and Carbonated Water , expressed in mg/L |
7.0 | |
Tea | 150 | |
Toddy | 5.0 | |
Tomato ketchup | 50 on dried total solids basis | |
Tomato puree, paste, powder, and cocktails | 100 on dried tomato solids | |
Turmeric whole and powder | 5.0 | |
Vegetables | 30 | |
Yeast and yeast products |
60 on dry matter basis | |
3. Arsenic | Agar | 3.0 |
Alginic acid | 3.0 | |
Alumina used in preparation of lake colour | 1.0 | |
Aluminium lake of Sunset Yellow FCF | 1.0 | |
Ammonium hydrogen carbonate | 0.6 | |
Annatto | 3.0 | |
Ascorbyl palmitate | 3.0 | |
Aspertame (Aspartyl phenyl alanine methyl ester) |
3.0 | |
Benzoic acid | 3.0 | |
Beta –apo-8’-carotenal | 3.0 | |
Beta-carotene | 3.0 | |
Brewed vinegar and synthetic vinegar | 0.1 | |
Brilliant blue FCF | 3.0 | |
Butylated hydroxyanisole | 3.0 | |
Calcium alginate | 3.0 | |
Caramel | 3.0 | |
Carbonated water, expressed in mg/L | 0.25 | |
Carmoisine | 3.0 | |
Carrageenan | 3.0 | |
Chicory-dried or roasted | 4.0 | |
Chlorophyll | 3.0 | |
Citric acid | 3.0 | |
Dehydrated onions, edible gelatin, liquid pectin | 2.0 | |
Dicalcium phosphate | 3.0 | |
Dodecyl gallate | 3.0 | |
Dried herbs, finings and clearing agents, solid pectin all grades, spices |
5.0 | |
Edible fats and oils (edible fats and oils not covered by individual standards) | 0.1 | |
Erythrosine | 3.0 | |
Ethylester of Beta-apo-8′-carotenoic acid | 3.0 | |
Fast Green FCF | 3.0 | |
Fish and Crustaceans | 76 | |
Food colouring other than synthetic colouring | 5.0 on dry colouring matter basis | |
Foods not specified | 1.1 | |
Fumaric acid | 3.0 | |
Gaur gum | 3.0 | |
Glycerol esters of wood rosin | 3.0 | |
Gum Arabic or Acacia gum | 2.0 | |
Gum Ghatti | 3.0 | |
Gum Karaya | 3.0 | |
Hard boiled sugar confectionery | 1.0 | |
Ice-cream, iced lollies and similar frozen confections | 0.5 | |
Indigo carmine | 3.0 | |
Infant milk substitute and Infant foods | 0.05 | |
Iron fortified common salt | 1.0 | |
Juice of orange, grape, apple, tomato, pineapple and lemon | 0.2 | |
L (+)- Tartaric acid | 3.0 | |
Malic acid | 3.0 | |
Margarine | 0.1 | |
Milk | 0.1 | |
Minarine (Low Fat Spread) | 0.1 | |
Mineral Oil (High viscosity) | 1.0 | |
Mineral Oil (Low viscosity) | 1.0 | |
Molluscs | 86 | |
Monosodium L-glutamate | 2.0 | |
Named Animal fats (lard, rendered pork fat, premier jus(suet) and edible tallow) |
0.1 | |
Natural mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.01 | |
Octyl gallate | 3.0 | |
Olive oil, Virgin olive oil ,Extra virgin olive oil, Ordinary virgin olive oil, Refined olive oil, Refined olive pomace oil and Olive pomace oil |
0.1 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water) , expressed in mg/L | 0.01 | |
Pectin | 5.0 | |
Phosphoric acid | 2.0 | |
Polyglycerol esters of fatty acids | 3.0 | |
Polyglycerol esters of interesterified ricinoleic acid | 3.0 | |
Ponceau 4R | 3.0 | |
Potassium iodate | 3.0 | |
Potassium nitrate | 3.0 | |
Potassium nitrite | 3.0 | |
Preservatives, anti-oxidants, emulsifying and stabilising agents and synthetic food colours | 3.0 on dry matter basis | |
Propyl gallate | 3.0 | |
Propylene glycol | 3.0 | |
Pulp and pulp products of any fruit | 0.2 | |
Riboflavin | 5.0 | |
Saccharin sodium | 2.0 | |
Sodium alginate | 3.0 | |
Sodium ascorbate | 3.0 | |
Sodium benzoate | 3.0 | |
Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose | 3.0 | |
Sodium propionate | 3.0 | |
Soft drink intended for consumption after dilution except carbonated water | 0.5 | |
Sorbic acid | 3.0 | |
Sorbitol | 3.0 | |
Steviol glycoside | 1.0 | |
Sucralose | 3.0 | |
Sulphur dioxide | 3.0 | |
Sunset yellow | 3.0 | |
Sunset yellow dye used in preparation of lake colour | 3.0 | |
Synthetic food colour-preparation and mixtures |
3.0 | |
Tartrazine | 3.0 | |
Titanium dioxide | 1.0 | |
Tragacanth gum | 3.0 | |
Trisodium citrate | 3.0 | |
Turmeric whole and powder | 0.1 | |
Vegetables | 1.1 | |
Vegetable oils, crude (oils of arachis (Groundnut), babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rapeseed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein). |
0.1 | |
Vegetable oils, edible (oils of arachis (Groundnut), babasu, coconut, cotton seed, grape seed, maize, mustard seed, palm kernel, palm, rapeseed, safflower seed, sesame seed, soya bean, and sunflower seed, and palm olein, stearin and superolein). |
0.1 | |
Canned (citrus fruits, stone fruits, vegetables, fruit cocktail, mangoes, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, tropical fruit salad). |
250 | |
Canned beverages | 150 | |
Canned chestnuts and chestnut puree | 250 | |
Canned fish products | 200 | |
Canned foods other than beverages | 250 | |
Canned mushrooms | 250 | |
Canned tomatoes | 250 | |
Cooked cured chopped meat (for products in other containers) | 50 | |
Cooked cured chopped meat (for products in tinplate containers) | 250 | |
Cooked cured ham (for products in other containers) |
50 | |
Cooked cured ham (for products in tinplate containers | 200 | |
Cooked cured pork shoulder (for products in other containers) |
50 | |
Cooked cured pork shoulder (for products in tinplate containers) |
200 | |
Corned beef (for products in other containers) | 50 | |
Corned beef (for products in tinplate containers) |
200 | |
Corned beef, Luncheon meat, Cooked ham, Chopped meat, Canned chicken, Canned mutton and Goat meat |
250 | |
Foods not specified | 250 | |
Hard boiled sugar confectionery | 5.0 | |
Infant milk substitute and Infant foods | 5.0 | |
Jam, Jellies and Marmalade | 250 | |
Juice of orange, apple, tomato, pineapple and lemon | 250 | |
Luncheon meat (for products in other containers) | 50 | |
Luncheon meat (for products in tinplate containers) | 200 | |
Mango Chutney | 250 | |
Pickled cucumber | 250 | |
Processed and canned food products | 250 | |
Processed tomato concentrates | 250 | |
Pulp and pulp products of any fruit | 250 | |
Table Olives | 250 | |
Turmeric whole and powder | 0.01 | |
Bivalve Molluscs | 2.0 | |
Brassica vegetables | 0.05 | |
Bulb vegetables | 0.05 | |
Carrageenan | 1.5 | |
Cephalopods | 2.0 | |
Cereal grains, except buckwheat, canihua and | 0.1 | |
Quinoa (excluding wheat and rice; and bran and germ) |
| |
Crustaceans | 0.5 | |
Fish | 0.3 | |
Foods not specified | 1.5 | |
Fruiting vegetables other than cucurbits (excluding tomatoes and edible fungi) | 0.05 | |
Fruiting vegetables, cucurbits | 0.05 | |
Infant milk substitute and Infant foods | 0.1 | |
Leafy vegetables | 0.2 | |
Legume vegetables | 0.1 | |
Natural mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.003 | |
Other vegetables | 1.5 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.003 | |
Potato, peeled | 0.1 | |
Pulses, excluding soybean dry | 0.1 | |
Rice, polished | 0.4 | |
Root and tuber vegetables, excluding potato and celeriac | 0.1 | |
Salt, food grade | 0.5 | |
Stalk and stem vegetables | 0.1 | |
Turmeric whole and powder | 0.1 | |
Wheat | 0.2 | |
6. Mercury | Alumina used in preparation of lake colour | 1.0 |
Aluminium lake of Sunset yellow FCF | 1.0 | |
Caramel | 0.1 | |
Carrageenan | 1.0 | |
Fast green FCF | 0.01 | |
Fish | 0.5 | |
Foods not specified | 1.0 | |
Natural mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.001 | |
Non-predatory fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, molluscs |
0.5 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.001 | |
Predatory fish (Tuna, Marlin, Sword Fish, Elasmobranch) | 1.0 | |
Salt, food grade | 0.1 | |
Sodium hydroxide | 1.5 | |
Titanium oxide | 1.0 | |
Vegetables | 1.0 | |
7. Methyl Mercury (Calculated as the element) |
All foods |
0.25 |
8. Chromium | All fishery products | 12 |
Brilliant blue FCF | 50 | |
Fast green FCF | 50 | |
Gelatin | 10 | |
Mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.05 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.05 | |
Refined sugar | 0.02 | |
Vegetables | 1.0 | |
9. Nickel | All hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, interesterified vegetable oils and fats such as vanaspati, table margarine, bakery and industrial margarine, bakery shortening, fat spread and partially hydrogenated margarine, bakery shortening, fat spread and partially hydrogenated soyabean oil |
1.5 |
Mineral water, expressed in mg/L | 0.02 | |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.02 | |
Sorbitol | 2.0 | |
Vegetables | 1.0 | |
10.Selenium | Mineral water , expressed in mg/L | 0.05 |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.01 | |
Potassium metabisulphite | 5.0 | |
Sodium metabisulphite | 5.0 | |
Sulphur dioxide | 20 | |
11.Antimony | Mineral water , expressed in mg/L | 0.005 |
Packaged drinking water (other than mineral water), expressed in mg/L | 0.005 | |
Titanium dioxide | 2.0 | |
Vegetables | 1.0”] |
Penalty for non-compliance:
Any person who manufactures, stores, sells, distributes, or imports unsafe food for human consumption shall be liable for punishment based on the severity of the outcome: up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine up to ₹1 lakh if no injury occurs; up to one year and ₹3 lakh fine for non-grievous injury; up to six years and ₹5 lakh fine for grievous injury; and a minimum of seven years’ imprisonment (extendable to life) and a fine of at least ₹10 lakh if it results in death.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this Article is intended solely for personal non-commercial use of the user who accepts full responsibility of its use. The information in the article is general in nature and should not be considered to be legal, tax, accounting, consulting or any other professional advice. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied regarding the accuracy, adequacy, reliability or completeness of any information on our page/article.