Breakfast Cereals and Flours
Corn flakes are derived from dehulled, degermed, and cooked corn (Zea mays L.), processed through flaking, partial drying, and toasting. Permitted ingredients may be added, meeting standards outlined in regulations. They should exhibit crisp, uniformly-sized flakes with a golden-brown colour, free from contaminants.
Custard powder is obtained from maize (Zea mays L.) or sago/tapioca, with or without additional edible starches from arrowroot, potato, or sorghum vulgare, along with optional salt, milk, and albuminous matter. Permitted colours and flavours may be included, with the powder being free from foreign matter, rancidity, and undesirable odours.
Soya, containing a minimum of 20% protein on a dry basis, is supplemented with lysine from legumes and pulses to address cereal deficiencies but may lack methionine, which can be added. Soya used must have low levels of phytoestrogens.
Groundnut is derived from clean, degermed kernels, decuticled after mild roasting, and processed via expulsion followed by solvent extraction or direct kernel extraction. It should display a whitish to light brown colour, uniform composition, and be free from rancidity, odours, impurities, insects, fungus, rodent contaminants.
Sesame flour is produced from clean, decuticled sesame seeds, extracted through solvent extraction or direct pressing. It should have a white or pale creamy white colour, uniform composition, and be free from rancidity, odours, impurities, insects, fungus, rodent contaminants.
Coconut flour is obtained from fresh coconut kernels or dried copra, processed using food-grade hexane for oil extraction. It should exhibit a white or pale brownish-yellow colour, uniform composition, and be free from rancidity, odours, impurities, insects, fungus, rodent contaminants.
Cotton seed flour is derived from solvent extraction of oil cake immediately after single pressing, sourced from high-quality cotton seeds free from contamination. It should have a white or pale brownish colour, uniform composition, and be free from rancidity, odours, impurities, insects, fungus, rodent contaminants. Here's the standards outlined by the FSSAI:
- Moisture content shall not exceed 10.0% by mass for products containing dehydrated/candied fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains, etc., and 7.5% for all other products.
- Acid insoluble ash in dilute HCl shall not exceed 0.1% on a dry mass basis.
Pasta, Macaroni, and Malt-Based Foods
Pasta Products
Pasta products are made from a blend of ingredients, including suji, maida, rice flour, groundnut flour, tapioca flour, edible soy flour, or other cereals mentioned in sub-regulation 2.4. These ingredients are kneaded into dough and processed through extension or other methods. The product may have various additional ingredients, such as milk powder, fruits, vegetables, or their extracts, either individually or in combination. Pasta versatile formulation allows for the creation of a diverse range of pasta products tailored to different tastes and preferences. Here is the regulation for the same:
- Moisture content should not exceed 12.5%.
- Ash insoluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, on a dry basis, should not exceed 0.1%.
Malted Milk Food
Malted milk food is produced by combining whole milk, partly skimmed milk, or milk powder with wort obtained from ground barley malt, other malted cereal grains, and wheat flour or other cereal flour. Additional ingredients like flavouring agents, spices, emulsifying agents, eggs, protein isolates, minerals, and vitamins may also be added. The mixture undergoes processing to achieve complete hydrolysis of starchy material, resulting in a powder, granule, or flake form. Cocoa powder may be included, and the final product must be free from dirt and extraneous matter, without added starch except for natural starch in cocoa powder, and non-milk fat. FSSAI standards are given below:
- Moisture content in Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder and Malted Milk Food with Cocoa Powder should not exceed 5% by weight
- Total Protein (N x 6.25) in Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder should not be less than 12.5% by weight, and in Malted Milk Food with Cocoa Powder, not less than 11.25% by weight
- Total Fat on a dry basis should not be less than 7.5% by weight in Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder, and not less than 6% by weight in Malted Milk Food with Cocoa Powder
- Total Ash on a dry basis should not exceed 5% by weight in both Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder and with Cocoa Powder
- Acid Insoluble Ash should not exceed 0.1% by weight in both variants
- Solubility should be at least 85% by weight in Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder, and at least 80% by weight in Malted Milk Food with Cocoa Powder
- Cocoa Powder content on a dry basis is not specified for Malted Milk Food without Cocoa Powder and should be at least 5.0% by weight in Malted Milk Food with Cocoa Powder
- Tests for Starch should be negative in both variants
- Bacterial Count should not exceed 50,000 per gram in both variants
- Coliform Count should not exceed 10 per gram in both variants
- Yeast and Mould Count should be absent in 0.1 gram for both variants
- Salmonella and Shigella should be absent in 0.1 gram for both variants
- E.Coli should be absent in 0.1 gram for both variants
- Vibrio cholera and V.Parahaemolyticus should be absent in 0.1 gram for both variants
- Faecal streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus should be absent in 0.1 gram for both variants.
Malt Based Foods (Malt Food)
Malt (wort, flour, or malt extract) from controlled germination of seeds, mainly cereals and grain legumes, is combined with other cereal and legume flour, milk or milk powder, flavourings, spices, emulsifying agents, and various nutrients to create malt-based dishes, also known as malt food. Starchy material is partially or fully hydrolysed in the combination during processing to produce powder, granules, or flakes. Added sugar and/or cocoa powder may be included. Grains, legumes, and their products used in malt preparation must be sound, uninfested, and free from insect fragments, fungal infestation, or any other damage. The standards are given below:
- Moisture content should not exceed 5% by weight
- Total Protein (N x 6.25) on a dry basis should be not less than 7.0% by weight
- Total Ash on a dry basis should not exceed 5% by weight
- Acid Insoluble Ash in dilute HCl should not exceed 0.1% by weight
- Total Plate Count should not exceed 50,000 per gram
- Coliform Count should not exceed 10 per gram
- Yeast and Mould Count should not exceed 100 per gram
- E. Coli should be absent in 10 grams
- Salmonella and Shigella should be absent in 25 grams
- Alcoholic Acidity (expressed as H2SO4) with 90% alcohol on a dry weight basis should not exceed 0.30%
- Vibrio cholera and V. Paraheamolyticus should be absent in 0.1 gram
- Faecal Streptococci and Staphylococcus aureas should be absent in 0.1 gram.
Rolled Oats:
Rolled oats, also known as quick-cooking oats, are produced from hulled oats (Avena sativa). They are free from added colours, rancidity, and flavouring agents, appearing as uniform-sized flakes with a light cream colour. This recipe guarantees a natural and healthful result fit for a range of culinary uses. The standards are given below:
- The moisture content should not exceed 12.0%
- Ash insoluble in dilute HCl should not exceed 0.1% for rolled/flaked oats and 0.5% for products containing oats.
- The Protein content (conversion factor 6.25) on a dry mass basis should be not less than 10.0 %.
- The Protein content (conversion factor 6.25) on a dry mass basis should be not less than 10.0 %.
- Alcoholic acidity (with 90 percent alcohol) expressed as H2SO4 should not exceed 0.18 %.
- Uric Acid content should not exceed 100 mg/kg.